After months of innovation, mentorship, and prototype development, the Ghana Science and Tech Explorer Prize (GSTEP) 2026 will culminate in a two-day exhibition and awards ceremony, where finalists from across the country will showcase STEM-driven solutions to real-world challenges and compete for top awards.

The event will take place on 9th and 10th July 2026 at the Cedi Conference Centre, University of Ghana, Legon.

Activities will commence on Thursday, July 9, with an exhibition that will give finalist teams the opportunity to present their innovations to educators, industry leaders, policymakers, development partners, investors, and the general public.

The event will conclude on Friday, July 10, with the Exhibition and Awards Ceremony, where outstanding teams will be recognised for their innovation, creativity, excellence, teamwork, and the impact of their solutions.

The exhibition will showcase a diverse range of projects developed by teams from Greater Accra, Eastern, and Volta Regions  to address challenges in education, agriculture, health, energy, environmental sustainability, and community development.

Beyond exhibiting prototypes, the event will create opportunities for networking, collaboration, and knowledge exchange, while connecting young innovators with industry players within Ghana's innovation ecosystem.

The Exhibition and Awards Ceremony represents the final stage in an inspiring journey that has challenged teams to think critically, collaborate effectively, and transform ideas into practical solutions.

Throughout the competition, the teams have progressed through a series of carefully designed stages that strengthened their technical, teamwork, entrepreneurial, and problem-solving skills while encouraging them to develop innovations capable of creating impact in their various communities.

The journey began with the application and assessment stage, where teams submitted innovative ideas for evaluation. Successful teams advanced to the semi-final stage, developing their concepts through business and team canvases, pitch videos, and minimum viable products before undergoing a rigorous selection process.

Selected teams were then inducted into the finalist stage, where they received mentorship, technical guidance, and capacity-building support to refine their ideas into viable innovations.

They also participated in STEM training sessions, prototype development, and educational visits to leading industries and institutions, gaining firsthand insight into the practical application of STEM.

The competition later moved into the regional prototype pitching stage, where teams presented their innovations before panels of judges and demonstrated the creativity, resilience, and technical excellence behind their solutions.

Recognising that innovation is also about resilience, GSTEP introduced the Perseverance Awards Programme to provide another opportunity for teams that did not progress to the semi-finalist or finalist stages. Through the programme, these teams were encouraged to further develop their ideas and continue their innovation journey.

This year, Six Perseverance Teams, four from the application and two from the semi-finalist stages, were selected to continue their GSTEP journey and will pitch their innovations during the Exhibition and Awards Ceremony. One winning team will be selected from the application stage and another from the semi-finalist stage.

Both winners will be recognised alongside the main competition award recipients, celebrating the creativity, determination, and growth demonstrated throughout their journey.

This year’s Exhibition and Awards Ceremony will celebrate the innovative solutions they have developed and the dedication, collaboration, and resilience that have defined their journey.

More importantly, the event will reaffirm the power of STEM education to nurture the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers, inspiring young people to develop solutions that contribute to Ghana's sustainable development.

The GSTEP programme is implemented by DreamOval Foundation, Partnership Bureau, Practical Education Network, and Shulem Lake in partnership with the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service, and AngloGold Ashanti, with funding support from Fondation Botnar.