How Challenges Work
Practice makes professional.
Folio's mission is to empower students to build a meaningful career. We're creating a world where every student can build valuable projects to show off their skills and earn job opportunities. Folio is a place for emerging professionals to practice their skills, get inspired, build a portfolio and get noticed by employers.
Challenges are month-long, project-based competitions hosted by Folio for top companies.
Each month, a new company provides projects spanning engineering, design and business. Projects are posted on the Folio platform for participants to build. Mentors are available in Folio Community Discord to provide feedback part-way through the Challenge period. Each Challenge is posted at the beginning of the month and the submission deadline is typically 1 week before the end of the month. During that week, submissions are judged by our team.
What can I win?
Prizes vary by host, but are typically a combination of cash, interviews and job opportunities
Does it cost money to host or participate in a Challenge?
No. Challenges are free for companies and participants. Companies may provide prizes like cash, Pro accounts, etc. but it is not required.
How do I join a Challenge?
Before you can enter a submission or access the submission form, you must first register for the Challenge you’re interested in. Navigate to the URL of the Challenge you’re interested in. If the submission period is open, you will see an "Apply Now" button. You'll be prompted to create a Folio profile, add you resume, and answer 2 questions about why you want to participate and what problems you're excited to solve.
What happens if I'm not accepted to participant in a Challenge?
If your application is not accepted, you will have the opportunity to apply for the following Challenge in the next month.
Why wasn't I accepted to participate in a Challenge?
Reasons vary, but it's most likely that your application was incomplete. You must create a Folio account which includes your resume and projects (from school, clubs, previous work) and answer 2 questions about why you want to participate and what problems you're excited to solve in your career.
Why wasn't I accepted to participate in a Challenge?
Reasons vary, but it's most likely that your application was incomplete. You must create a Folio account which includes your resume and projects, and answer 2 questions about why you want to participate and what problems you're excited to solve in your career.
How do I submit a Demo Video?
Your demo video should include an overview of your project (what you built) and and explanation of how you built it. We recommend using the STAR method - Situation, Task, Action, Result. You can upload your video directly to the Folio platform, or add a link to your video from youtube, vimeo or another platform. Make sure your video is publicly viewable, otherwise the judges won't be able to see it!
Here’s how to upload your demo video on
How do I host a Challenge?
Consult directly with you and apply best practices to ensure that your Challenge is a success.
Boost the visibility of your Challenge projects by marketing to your target audience.
Provide hands-on support to both you and your participants in order to create an engaging Challenge experience (a factor that is difficult to maintain in a virtual Challenge setting).
Supplement your team’s capacity with our world-leading strategic knowledge and operational skills related to driving student awareness, adoption, and activation.
How do report spam on Folio?
Folio is a place to showcase projects, participate in Challenges, find jobs/talent and share your related questions, ideas, feedback, and encouragement. Do not use our site to upload or post content that's not relevant, repeatedly post the same thing, or send excessive, unsolicited messages to other users. Do not use the follow or like features in a manner that triggers excessive notifications or places a burden on our systems.
As you’re using the site, if you come across any content that does not meet our community guidelines and is considered spam, please notify support@folio.works.
What is a Folio profile and how do I use it?
Your Folio portfolio is your profile page where you can show off the projects you have made, your skills and resume. Projects added to your portfolio can include Challenge projects that you have submitted or anything else you may be working on. You can create project pages that include details about your project and share them with the world. Anyone can see your portfolio by visiting your portfolio URL or in talent search.
Employers can reach out to you from your Folio page, so we recommended keeping it up to date so you can put your best foot forward.
How do I claim my prize?
In order to claim your prize payment, you will receive an email from support@folio.works asking you to fill out a form that verifies your eligibility. (Note that not all potential winners will receive this email, particularly if their eligibility has been previously verified.) This form will ask for basic details including the Challenge name, your submission name, as well as personal details including your full legal name, date of birth, city/state/province/country of residence, email address, and whether or not you are an employee of the Challenge Sponsor.
Once your eligibility has been verified and the winner announcement has been made, you will begin the process of claiming your prize payment, at which point you can follow the steps outlined below.
Step 1: Make sure you are signed into your Folio account.
Step 2: Check your email for a message from Support@folio.workswith the subject line “Woo hoo! Guess who won the [Challenge] (hint: it’s you)” and click the Claim your prizes link within the email.
This will take you to a 3-step prize claim form.
Step 3: Fill out page one of the prize claim form. You will need to complete the following:
Enter your first and last name
Enter your country of residence
Check the box to confirm the prizes being awarded to you
If you worked as part of a team, check the box to confirm the members of your team that you worked with
Check whether you worked on the project as an individual, on behalf of an organization, or as a member of a team
Check the box to confirm your age
Check the box to confirm your eligibility in regards to residence
Select a Payment Method. Note that payment method options vary based on the country of residence of the winner. Most participants will be directed to setup a Stripe account. Once your payment method is created, press Submit.
The prize fulfillment process can take up to 60 days from receipt of paperwork.
Reach out for support!
Feel free to email us at support@folio.works.
Last updated