Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is Open Ideas Lab?

Open Ideas Lab is a not-for-profit global platform that helps young people aged 8–17 engage with real-world problems in science, technology, health, climate, mathematics, and society. Students explore problems shared by leading scientists, researchers, and experts, and develop their own ideas individually or collaboratively.

Our goal is to nurture curiosity-driven thinking, creativity, and problem-solving - well before students are forced into narrow academic or career paths.

Why was Open Ideas Lab created?

Open Ideas Lab was created after working closely with young people from diverse backgrounds and observing that:

Many students have powerful ideas but lack early exposure and guidance
Real-world problems are rarely introduced in an age-appropriate way
Access to mentorship often depends on privilege, geography, or resources

We believe ideas can come from anywhere, and that every young mind deserves early access to inspiration, challenge, and thoughtful feedback - regardless of socioeconomic background.

Is Open Ideas Lab a school or tutoring platform?

No. Open Ideas Lab is not a school, coaching service, or tutoring platform.

We do not teach a curriculum, assign grades, or prepare students for exams. Instead, we provide:

Real-world problem statements
A safe space to explore ideas
Structured feedback from experts

Think of it as a global idea lab, not a classroom.

Who Can Participate

Who is Open Ideas Lab for?

Students aged 8–17 who are curious and want to explore ideas
Parents or guardians who wish to support their child’s learning
Mentors and scientists who want to inspire the next generation
Partner organizations working in science, health, environment, and social good

Can students join directly?

No. For safety and legal reasons, all accounts must be created and managed by a parent or legal guardian.

The contractual relationship is between:
Open Ideas Lab ↔ Parent/Guardian

Students participate as linked learners under the parent account.

Is this a global platform?

Yes. Open Ideas Lab is a global platform and participation encouraged from students, mentors, and partners worldwide.

Many problem statements are global in nature, and we actively encourage cross-country and cross-cultural collaboration.

Problem Statements & Participation

What kind of problems do students work on?

Students explore real-world, open-ended problems, such as:

Climate change and mental health
Urbanization and future cities
Public health and aging
Technology, ethics, and society
Environment, biodiversity, and sustainability

Problems are contributed by scientists, researchers, and subject-matter experts, and adapted for different age groups.

Are problems age-appropriate?

Yes. Each problem is carefully structured by:

Age group (8–10, 11–13, 14–17)
Difficulty level
Clear context and guidance

Younger students focus more on observation and imagination, while older students are encouraged to think critically, analytically, and creatively.

Do students need prior knowledge or expertise?

No. Students do not need advanced knowledge or technical skills.

What matters most is:

Curiosity
Willingness to think
Ability to ask questions and explore ideas

Can students work alone or in groups?

Both options are encouraged.

Students may:

Work individually
Collaborate with friends or peers (with parental awareness and consent)

Feedback, Mentorship & Review

What happens after a student submits an idea?

Ideas go through a multi-step review process:

Initial review by the Open Ideas Lab team
Selection of promising, creative, or insightful ideas
Structured feedback from mentors, scientists, or subject-matter experts

Not all submissions receive expert feedback, but every idea is valued and reviewed with care.

Who provides feedback?

Feedback may come from:

Senior scientists and researchers
Domain experts
Experienced practitioners
Advisory mentors associated with the platform

Mentors contribute voluntarily and as their availability allows.

Is mentorship one-on-one?

Not typically. Feedback is usually structured, written, and educational, designed to help students:

Think deeper
Improve their ideas
Learn how experts approach problems

This keeps the platform scalable and fair for all participants.

Cost & Funding

Is Open Ideas Lab free?

Yes. Open Ideas Lab is completely free for students and parents.

How is Open Ideas Lab funded?

We rely on:

Grants
Philanthropic support
Institutional partnerships
Donations

All funds are used to:

Support students
Reward outstanding ideas
Enable idea development and recognition
Staff wages and other operational expenses including technology and infrastructure costs

Are students paid or rewarded?

Some exceptional ideas may be:

Recognized publicly (with parental consent)
Awarded non-monetary recognition
Considered for idea-development support or prizes (where funding allows)

Details will always be transparent and age-appropriate.

Intellectual Property (IP)

Who owns the ideas students submit?

By default:

Students are recognized as the original creators of their ideas,

However, to protect students and enable responsible development:

Certain ideas may be jointly managed or licensed to OpenIdeasLab
This ensures ideas are not misused, commercialized unfairly, or lost

All IP terms are clearly explained in the Terms & Conditions, and parents must explicitly agree before participation.

Safety, Privacy & Child Protection

How is my child’s data protected?

We take privacy extremely seriously. Key points to remember :

No public profiles for children
No direct messaging between students and mentors
Minimal data collection
Parent-controlled accounts

Please refer to our Privacy Policy for full details.

Will my child be publicly identified?

No. Students are not publicly identified by default. Any public recognition requires explicit parental consent.

For Mentors & Partners

How can scientists or experts get involved?

Mentors may:

Share problem statements
Review selected student ideas
Provide structured feedback
Serve on the advisory panel

Can organizations partner with Open Ideas Lab?

Yes. We welcome partnerships with:

Research institutions
Think tanks
Non-profits
Foundations

Partners may:

Contribute problem statements
Review ideas
Be acknowledged on our website (with consent)

Getting Started

How do we sign up?

Parent or guardian creates an account
Adds the student learner profile
Explores available problem statements
Supports the student through the submission process

When does the platform launch?

Our website and pilot program are scheduled to go live in H1 2026. Mentor panels and partner listings are being finalized in parallel.

Who do I contact for questions?

You can reach us at:
📧 contact@openideaslab.org

We welcome questions, ideas, and feedback.

Open Ideas Lab