Spark challenge 2026: design the future of financial education
A challenge for unibz students, in partnership with Starting Finance Club Bolzano: turn an idea into a project that helps young people make smarter choices about money
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Beschreibung
At a glance
Who: students enrolled at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano in the 2026/27 academic year, all faculties
Team: 2 or 3 people
Apply by: 10 November 2026
Project deadline: 7 December 2026
Pitch day: 21 December 2026, Spark Space
Prizes: training vouchers of up to €3,000 per team
IDEAS INTO IMPACT
Your first salary, your first rental contract, your first investment: adult life comes with a lot of firsts, and it rarely waits until you feel ready.
Spark is the Sparkasse Group project that closes that gap for people under 30, turning financial literacy into know-how they can use in real life. With the Spark Challenge 2026, run together with Starting Finance Club Bolzano, Spark invites students at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano to go one step further and design its next initiatives.
Do you have an idea that could help people your age manage their money, find their way into work or face their first big decisions? This is your chance to develop it, test it with people who work in banking every day and take it towards launch with Spark.
The challenge
Identify a real need among young people and design a concrete response that Spark can deliver. You don't need a finished product, but your project has to be thought through: goals, resources, timeline and measurable results.
The format is up to you. A few examples:
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digital tools, such as a budget simulator or a gamified financial education journey;
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content and communication, such as an editorial plan or a series for social media, podcasts or newsletters;
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events, workshops and programmes, such as a format for schools or a peer mentoring programme;
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services that support financial decisions, such as micro-saving tools or loyalty programmes.
All projects are assessed against the same criteria, set out in the rules. Projects and pitches are in English.
What you get | Prizes (per team)
1st place: €3,000 training voucher (net)
2nd place: €1,500 training voucher (net)
3rd place: €900 training voucher (net)
Vouchers are split equally among team members and can be spent on courses, certifications, summer schools or industry events of their choice.
The winning team follows the development of its project and may be invited to a curricular internship at Sparkasse (to be defined).
Your journey
Once your application is confirmed, your team receives an information pack on Spark: who we talk to, what we already do and what it takes to design a project for a bank.
On 18 November, join us at the Spark Space (Via Cassa di Risparmio 16, Bolzano) for a morning of co-working, a chance to test your project with the Spark team and Starting Finance Club Bolzano.
Date Milestone
20 October 2026: Challenge launch, applications open
10 November 2026, 11:59 pm: Applications close
18 November 2026: Mentoring morning at the Spark Space
7 December 2026, 11:59 pm: Project submission deadline
11 December 2026: Finalists announced
21 December 2026: Pitch day at the Spark Space and awards
How to apply
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Build your team of two or three people, also from different degree programmes.
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Fill in the application form (Annex 1) and have every team member sign the release form (Annex 3). Each team member also fills in the Starting Finance Club Bolzano form, used to verify enrolment at unibz.
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Send Annex 1 and Annex 3, completed and signed, to spark.challenge@be-spark.it by 10 November 2026, 11:59 pm, with the subject line “Spark Challenge 2026 – Application” followed by your team name. You will receive a confirmation within three working days.
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Upload your project to your team folder (the link is in your confirmation email) by 7 December 2026, 11:59 pm, as a single PDF of up to 15 pages, in English.
Documents
📄 Competition rules
📄 Annex 1 – Application form
📄 Annex 2 – Privacy notice (in Italian)
📄 Annex 3 – Image release form (in Italian)
FAQ
Do I need a fully developed idea to apply?
No. A short description is enough, and it can evolve during the challenge.
Do I need to study economics?
No. The challenge is open to all faculties and no banking or finance background is required.
Can I take part on my own?
No, you need a team of two or three people.
What language should the project be in?
English, for both the written project and the final pitch.
Any other questions? Write to spark.challenge@be-spark.it.
