2026 Season Schedule

The LBX season runs across the academic year. Dates below are the public deadlines that apply across all four regional hubs. Hub-specific events — orientation sessions, mentor meetings, and the showcase dates — are confirmed in the welcome email after registration.

Apply for the 2026 Season → Read the FAQ

Phase 1 — Registration

15 September 2026

Registration opens. Students choose their regional hub, their division (Junior or Senior), and their track. Early registration is encouraged — orientation begins as soon as a student is accepted, not on a fixed date.

31 October 2026

Registration closes. Late registration is reviewed case by case; we will not turn away a serious student over a missed form, but mentor matching takes time and we cannot guarantee it after this date.

Phase 2 — Proposal Checkpoint

30 November 2026

Two-page proposal due: the question, why it matters, prior work, the plan, and the artefact you intend to build. Mentors return written feedback within two weeks. Proposals are not rejected at this stage; weak proposals are revised.

Phase 3 — Progress Checkpoint

28 February 2027

Progress submission due: a working draft of the artefact, a short video walkthrough, and a written note on what has changed since the proposal. Most projects change direction here; that is the point of the checkpoint.

Phase 4 — Final Submission

30 April 2027

Final project due: the completed artefact, full documentation, a project report, and a short presentation video. Submissions are reviewed by judging panels in advance of the regional showcases.

Phase 5 — Regional Showcases

Singapore — 22–23 May 2027

Asia–Pacific hub. Held in partnership with one-north research institutions.

Hong Kong — 29–30 May 2027

Greater China hub. Held in partnership with universities across the Pearl River Delta.

London — 5–6 June 2027

Europe, Middle East & Africa hub. Held in partnership with central London university research centres.

New York — 12–13 June 2027

Americas hub. Held in partnership with university research centres in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Phase 6 — Global Final

10–12 July 2027 · New York

The 2026 Global Final is hosted in New York. Top entries from every regional showcase are invited. Travel grants are available; no finalist should miss the Global Final because of cost. The host city rotates each season.

What Happens Between Phases

The dates above are public milestones, not the whole picture. Between them, students meet their mentor every two to three weeks, share work in their regional cohort, and have access to office hours with the academic committee on specific topics — statistics, ethics, hardware sourcing, writing. Most of LBX happens in those weeks, not on showcase day.

Notes for Schools and Parents

Schools that want to enrol a cohort of students can register through the same portal; the orientation programme is available as a guided workshop for groups. Parents do not need to attend orientation but are welcome at the public showcase day at each hub.