The Inform Prize 2026 - Showcasing Scotland's Latest Talent
It is September 2026 which means the Inform Prize is back once again. New teams, new venue, and new ideas - we are excited to see what students have been working on this year!
The Inform Prize is an opportunity for teams to take what they have been working on and show it to a real audience: industry professionals, potential future employers, and peers from competing universities.
Founded by Intelligent Plant in 2014, the event has grown year on year. Last year, with the help of VeryConnect we expanded to Glasgow, adding a second event alongside the long-running Aberdeen showcase. Both are back in 2026.
The Aberdeen Event
The Aberdeen Inform Prize takes place on Wednesday 23rd September, 12:30 to 16:30, at Trinity Hall, 164 Holburn Street - a venue we are particularly enthusiastic to be using for the first time.
Students from the University of Aberdeen and Robert Gordon University will compete across three categories: Best Presentation, Best Idea, and Best Implementation. Each team has submitted a video marketing their solution ahead of the event, and on the day these will be presented to the audience and our panel of judges. Teams will take questions on stage before the winners are announced.
Our host for the day is Karen O'Hanlon, Director of Digital Tech at ONE, who runs ONE Tech Hub in Aberdeen and has a background in supporting digital tech founders across the public, private, and academic sectors. We are also delighted to welcome Glen Cairns as our guest speaker. Glen is a highly regarded Aberdeen-based videographer and photographer, perhaps best known for capturing a viral photograph of the Northern Lights above Pittodrie Stadium in 2024 - an image that led to a charity series raising over £70,000 for the Aberdeen Football Club Community Trust.
Why the Inform Prize matters
The idea behind the Inform Prize is simple. Students spend months building digital solutions for their degree - and most of the time, very few people ever see that work. The Inform Prize changes that, giving students a platform to present to a real audience and build the skills that degree programmes rarely teach directly: pitching, networking, presenting to non-technical audiences, and handling questions under pressure. Some previous participants have gone on to explore starting their own businesses, which we are proud to have played a small part in.
Dr Matthew Collinson, Head of Computing Science at the University of Aberdeen, puts it well:
"Their interactions before, during, and after the event offer a unique opportunity to have direct contact with industry and gives them first-hand experience on designing, marketing, and presenting their product."
Matthew Barr, Head of Section and Program Director at the University of Glasgow, shared his experience after the previous year's event:
"The whole event was excellent. I was immediately struck by the local derby energy in the room, with the two universities engaged in a bit of friendly competition. Meanwhile, the engagement with industry guests was brilliant to see."
Our sponsors and supporters
A big thank you to this year's Inform Prize: Aberdeen sponsors ONE Digital Tech, Serica Energy, and the University of Aberdeen, and to our supporters Barclays Eagle Labs and Alto. The Inform Prize would not happen without them.
The Glasgow Event
The Glasgow Inform Prize takes place on Tuesday 16th September. Further details are available on Eventbrite.
Come along
Whether you are a local employer looking to meet the next generation of computing science talent, a student curious about what the event involves, or simply someone who wants to see what Scotland's universities are producing -- we would love to see you there.
Get involved
The Inform Prize is growing. We have ambitions to take the event to further cities and universities in the coming years, and none of that is possible without the support of organisations who share our belief in connecting students with industry. If you are interested in sponsoring a future event, get in touch at informprize@intelligentplant.com.
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