Hydrogen Grand Challenge

The Hydrogen Grand Challenge, a series of prize competitions organized by MI Hydrogen and sponsored by Fortescue, has officially kicked off. The inaugural competition, Michigan Hydrogen Horizon, challenges University of Michigan students to craft a business case for the Michigan-centric, regional deployment of hydrogen. This competition encourages students to explore and showcase the value of clean hydrogen in specific sectors and technology applications.

MI Hydrogen, a joint venture by the Office of the Vice President for Research, Michigan Engineering, and the School for Environment and Sustainability, fosters collaboration among U-M researchers, community groups, government, and industry partners. They address existing knowledge gaps and develop strategies to help society transition toward an energy future that is equitable, affordable, clean, and secure. The initiative, engaging faculty across disciplines, is designed to provide the leading research necessary to accelerate the use of hydrogen beyond current industrial limits. Learn more at research.umich.edu/mi-hydrogen.

Hydrogen, positioned as a pivotal energy carrier, is poised to revolutionize various domains, including heavy-duty transportation, aviation, heating, distributed power, and critical industrial sectors such as steelmaking, glassmaking, and semiconductor manufacturing.

“We are excited to see so many Michigan students engaged in the discussion of how to make hydrogen a critical part of our future energy delivery mix,” said MI Hydrogen co-director Todd Allen.

The competition features 13 teams comprised of over 50 students from the Ross School of Business, Michigan Engineering, Taubman College, the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, Ford School, the School of Information, and the School for Environment and Sustainability.

To refine their business case, each student group will collaborate with faculty and business leaders from U-M, H2Edge, Mitsubishi Power, Tenneco, Bosch, ERPI, Consumers Energy, Next Hydrogen, Argonne National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, and more. 

At the Final Pitch Competition, each team will present its business case to a panel of judges who will evaluate teams as entrepreneurs seeking start-up funds from early-stage investors and venture capital firms. The Final Pitch Competition is scheduled for April 11, 2024, at the Lurie Engineering Center Johnson Rooms from 4–7 pm. The public is invited to attend in person (space-dependent) or register here to watch live. 

Teams are vying for a share of the $10,000 prize pool, with the first-place team receiving $5,000, the first runner-up awarded $3,000, and the second runner-up receiving $2,000. Beyond the monetary rewards, participating teams gain invaluable real-world experience in pitching a business plan and attracting capital for the commercialization of hydrogen technology or applications.

About Fortescue 

Fortescue is focused on becoming the number one integrated green energy, metals, and technology company, recognized for its culture, innovation, and industry-leading development of infrastructure, mining assets, and green energy initiatives. Fortescue is leading the green industrial revolution, building a global portfolio of renewable green hydrogen and green ammonia projects and green technology solutions, while also leading the global effort to help decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors. This includes developing and acquiring the technology and energy supply to help decarbonize the Australian iron ore operations of one of the world’s largest producers of iron ore, Fortescue Metals, by 2030 (Scope 1 and 2 terrestrial emissions).