San Antonio's
Smart City Challenge
Congratulations to our SA Smart 2025 Winning Teams!
Visit our social media pages to learn more about this year's finals competition.
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STAY TUNED FOR INFORMATION ON SA SMART 2026!
In the SA Smart Challenge. Student teams in grades 6-12 research a San Antonio-specific smart city problem and propose a strategy, product, or service as a solution.
ADULTS: Be a mentor! Mentor Interest Form
Recent History:
Our 2025 Challenge
Quality of Life
Propose a product, service, or strategy that improves quality of life for San Antonio-area residents.
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ABOUT SA Smart
Between 2018 and 2040, 1.1 million new people will call the San Antonio area home. While this future creates many challenges, it also creates opportunities. One opportunity is to drive student learning through smart city challenges. Join us as we create learning opportunities for students rooted in the challenges faced by our city.
What is SA Smart?
In the SA Smart Challenge, student teams in grades 6-12 research a San Antonio-specific smart city problem and propose a strategy, product, or service as a solution.
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What events happen in SA Smart?
SA Smart starts with a fall Virtual Launch. Then teams prepare an idea, register, and join a required late January or early February Launch Clinic that includes professionals and mentors. Through March, teams work on their Research Pitch Deck. Finalists are selected, and in April and May, finalists get help from mentors. In late May, finalists deliver their pitch at the SA Smart Finals.
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Who can participate in SA Smart?
The competition is open to any 4-6 member San Antonio-area team sponsored by a school or education provider, for students in grades 6-12, with a teacher or responsible adult acting as the team's sponsor.
What will students do?
What will they learn?
Students select and research a San Antonio-specific problem related to the competition topic. Their research will likely include STEM topics, and may also include entrepreneurship, civics, policy or other topics. Using a template we provide, they'll share research results and recommend a strategy, product, or service. Students will also learn a lot about what it means to live in and develop a smart city.
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What's the benefit for teachers?
The topic provides a foundation for real-world problem exploration by students. The competition design applies the concepts of Project-Based Learning (PBL) and of STEM and STEAM education. Teachers will see these concepts in action. Resources include teacher slides and a student handbook for optional use in classrooms. Teachers can choose to grade program deliverables.
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What will Competition Day be like?
SA Smart Competition Day will be a professionally run, high energy event where students present their research and recommendations. An awards ceremony will be held. Finalists will generate ideas for the next year's competition.
What will the prizes be?
1st, 2nd Place and possibly 3rd Place awards will be given based on bracket size. Additional prizes will be determined with sponsors.
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Who runs SA Smart?
SA Smart is a cooperative effort between local STEM education and other non-profits and organizations. The program is led by SAMSAT. Other long-term partners include local government, the City of San Antonio Planning Department, City of San Antonio Innovation Department, Geekdom, Smart Energy Education, CPS Energy, Education Service Center-Region 20, and the Alamo STEM Ecosystem. A Steering Committee oversees the effort, and they select judges for the final competition. See our Partners & Team page for details.