Resources

The challenge asks student teams to respond to a real business brief. For 2026, teams must create a new LEGO NINJAGO Legends product or product line for teens aged 13 to 17.

Teams should develop an original idea and explain:

- What the product or product line is

- Who it is for

- Why teens would want it

- How it connects to LEGO NINJAGO Legends

- How it could deepen engagement with existing fans

- How it could attract new fans

- How it could be marketed and distributed

- Why it could work as a commercially realistic idea

Students should work together to develop one clear, well-supported idea. They should research teen behavior and interests, consider how teens engage with fandom, and use that insight to shape their concept.

The final idea should not just describe an interesting product. It should also explain why the product is relevant to teens and how LEGO could bring it to market.

Create a new LEGO NINJAGO Legends product line for teens.

The concept can be:

- A toy

- A digital experience

- A physical experience

- A merchandise line

- A branded collaboration

- Another suitable IP licensing extension

The product should be desirable to teens, deepen engagement with existing fans and help attract new fans to the NINJAGO Legends IP.

No. Teams can choose the format that best supports their idea. A concept could be physical, digital or a combination of both.

No. A digital app, online experience, event concept, merchandise line or other suitable product extension can be proposed. The idea must still be clearly explained and commercially realistic.

No. Students are not expected to manufacture, launch or execute their idea in real life.

This is a concept and pitch competition. A clear presentation supported by visuals, diagrams, sketches or mock-ups is sufficient. A fully working prototype is not required.

No. Teams do not need to build a fully functioning app. They should explain the purpose of the app, its main features, the intended users and the experience it would provide.

Teams may include screen mock-ups, user journeys, wireframes or diagrams to show how the app would work. These visuals do not need to be functional

The brief does not require teams to classify NINJAGO marketing as product-led or story-led. Teams can explore both approaches and decide which is most relevant to their concept.

The important points are that the idea should connect clearly to NINJAGO Legends, appeal to teens and explain how it could deepen fandom or attract new fans.

The 2026 challenge launched on September 30, 2026.

The first submission deadline is October 26, 2026.

Hult professors will review the submitted ideas and select the semi-finalist teams.

Semi-finalists will be notified and asked to present their ideas live to Hult professors on November 21, 2026.

Finalists will then be selected from the semi-finalists. Finalists will be notified and asked to present their ideas live to LEGO on December 11, 2026.

Only selected teams move forward to the semi-final and final stages.

No. All teams submit the first presentation, but only selected semi-finalist teams present to Hult professors. Finalist teams then present to LEGO.

For the 2026 cycle, there is no separate early-year iteration. The Hult Future Leaders Challenge runs once each year, with future cycle dates announced separately.

Regular live masterclasses are not mandatory. Recordings are uploaded to the Learning Hub within 24 hours of the session ending.

However, teams selected for the semi-finals or finals will be expected to take part in their live presentation stage.

Students can watch the recording on the Learning Hub. They should check the Hub for the recording, session materials and any related instructions.

For time-zone questions, students should use the time and time zone shown in their calendar invitation as the authority.

There is no fixed time commitment. After the launch, the weekly content and activities usually take around one hour per week. Teams should allow additional time to research, develop and prepare their submission, particularly as the first deadline approaches.

The Learning Hub is the main online resource for the challenge. It contains:

- The challenge brief

- Weekly learning content

- Session dates and formats

- Recordings of live sessions

- Submission guidance

- Submission guidance and other resources

Visit the Learning Hub here: Learning Hub

No. We do not provide a PowerPoint template because we want teams to have room for creativity in the design and structure of their slides.

Teams should use the brief and this FAQ to decide how to present their idea. The Learning Hub Resources tab contains supporting resources and submission guidance.

Yes. New content is released each week to help teams understand the brief, develop their ideas, conduct research and prepare their submissions.

Teams should check the Learning Hub regularly.

Recordings are uploaded to the Learning Hub within 24 hours after the event ends. Students should use the Hub for recordings and related materials.

Each team must submit a PowerPoint presentation explaining its idea.

The presentation must contain 10 slides or fewer and should be clear enough for someone who has not heard the idea before to understand it.

The first submission is a PowerPoint presentation. Teams do not need to submit a physical product or a fully working prototype.

The presentation should explain:

– The product concept

- What the product or product line is

- How it works

- What makes it different or appealing

- The target audience

- Which teens the product is designed for

- What those teens care about

- Why they would want the product

– The NINJAGO Legends connection

- How the idea fits the NINJAGO Legends world and identity

- How it supports the existing IP

– Teen relevance

- How the product fits teen needs, motivations and behaviours

- How it fits into teens' everyday lives

– Driving fandom

- How it could deepen engagement among existing fans

- How it could attract new teens to NINJAGO Legends

- How teens could engage with or express their fandom

– Commercial potential and feasibility

- How the product could be marketed

- Which channels, retailers or platforms could be used

- Why the idea could be realistic to execute in the market

The final submission should be a PowerPoint presentation with 10 slides or fewer.

Teams may develop the presentation using PowerPoint, Google Slides or Canva, but they must export the final version as a PowerPoint file.

The brief specifies a PowerPoint presentation, so teams must submit a PowerPoint file.

To avoid ambiguity, teams should treat the 10-slide limit as applying to the entire PowerPoint presentation, including the cover slide, references and any appendix slides.

The strongest presentations are concise and make the main idea easy to understand. Use short references on the relevant slides where possible.

The main PowerPoint must be complete and understandable on its own. Do not rely on a separate linked file for essential content.

There is no fixed word count or required level of detail for each section. Each section should contain enough information to make the team's thinking clear and credible.

Use concise points, relevant visuals and evidence. Avoid filling slides with long paragraphs. The presentation should prioritize clarity, relevance and quality of thinking over the amount of text included.

No. A Business Model Canvas is not a required submission layout.

Teams may use Business Model Canvas thinking to develop the commercial side of their idea, but the final presentation should still address the challenge brief, including teen relevance, fandom, marketing, distribution and feasibility.

Yes, if it helps explain the idea. It should be concise and relevant, and it must fit within the 10-slide limit.

A Business Model Canvas does not replace the need to explain the product, its target audience, its NINJAGO Legends connection and its commercial potential.

No detailed financial plan is required.

However, teams should show that the idea is commercially realistic. They may include reasonable assumptions about pricing, production, marketing, distribution or costs if those details strengthen the pitch.

No. A detailed Bill of Materials is not required, particularly if the idea is digital or experience-based.

Teams may include basic cost or production assumptions if they help demonstrate feasibility, but they should not allow detailed financial modelling to replace the core idea and its relevance to teens.

No fixed budget has been provided. Teams should make reasonable assumptions and explain how the idea could be produced, marketed and distributed efficiently.

No specific launch date is required for the proposed product. Teams may suggest a realistic launch timeline if it helps explain how the idea could come to market, but the competition deadlines are the important dates they must follow.

No specific country or region is required. Teams may choose the market or markets that make the most sense for their idea.

If a team focuses on a specific country or region, it should explain why the product would appeal to teens there and how it would be marketed and distributed.

A strong presentation will usually combine several types of research, including:

- Consumer research and teen insights

- Teen trends and behaviors

- Competitor or comparable product research

- Examples from the toy and entertainment industries

- Recent product launches or brand partnerships

- Market, channel and distribution research

There is no single required research method or fixed checklist. Teams should use the research that best supports their idea.

The brief encourages teams to speak with teens aged 13 to 17 for inspiration and insight into how they engage with products they care about.

As teenagers yourself, think about how you interact with products and talk to your friends about it!

There is no single correct answer. Depending on the concept, relevant needs may include:

- Self-expression

- Creativity

- Belonging

- Personalization

- Social connection

- Collecting

- Entertainment

- Participation in fandom

- Discovery and exploration

Teams should identify the needs most relevant to their target audience and explain how their product responds to them.

Teams are not expected to know one definitive set of LEGO research findings. They should conduct their own research using relevant public sources and, where possible, conversations with other teens aged 13 to 17.

The most important point is to show a clear understanding of the audience and use evidence to support the team's decisions.

Yes. The brief encourages teams to look at real-life examples in the toy and entertainment industries, including recent product launches and brand partnerships.

Use these examples as research and inspiration. Teams must not copy existing products, designs or creative work.

Teams must use their own and public materials responsibly and must not copy or violate copyright.

They must not create new assets that reproduce LEGO branding, logos, trademarks, copyrighted characters or existing product designs. Teams must not use AI to create assets that copy LEGO branding or trademarks.

AI agents may be used for research, brainstorming or other support, but any use of AI must be cited in the presentation. AI must not be used to generate images of LEGO models, LEGO or NINJAGO creative assets. Do not upload LEGO patented or proprietary products or materials into AI tools.

You may use AI generation tools to create a visual model of your concept, provided that the input and the output is original and does not copy or reproduce LEGO or NINJAGO logos, trademarks, copyrighted characters, existing products or other protected brand assets.

Even without using a logo, please make sure the design does not imitate an existing LEGO or NINJAGO product too closely. Your visuals should communicate your team’s original idea rather than recreate official brand artwork.

No. A physical prototype is not required. A well-developed concept supported by clear visuals is sufficient for the first submission.

Use public information to understand existing products, brands and market examples, but do not copy existing designs or creative assets.

Teams must develop an original concept and must not present another company's protected work as their own.

By submitting an idea, students grant LEGO the full right to use that idea. Students should read the submission terms before submitting and should contact futureleaders@hult.edu with any question about ownership, licensing or intellectual property.

Teams must represent one registering school. Cross-school teams are not supported.

If a team needs to change its school or members, contact the HFLC team with the team name and the requested change.

The teacher or counselor helps students stay organized, understand deadlines, work effectively together and access the available resources.

Teachers and counselors are not expected to create the idea for the students. The concept and presentation should be developed by the students.

Yes. Schools may organize support in the way that works best for them. Each team may have its own teacher or coordinator contact.

For changes to teacher or counselor details, contact the HFLC team with the relevant team names and the minimum information needed. Do not send unnecessary student data.

Contact futureleaders@hult.edu with the team name and explain the requested change. The HFLC team will process the update.

Team names should be respectful and suitable for an educational competition. The HFLC team may ask a team to change a name that is offensive, inappropriate or unsuitable for public use.

Yes. Live attendance at regular sessions is not mandatory, and recordings are uploaded to the Learning Hub within 24 hours. Schools should plan enough time for students to research, develop and submit their presentation by October 26.

Registration for the 2026 challenge closed on September 25, 2026.

No. Late registrations are not accepted after the September 25, 2026 deadline.

A Team ID is the identifier assigned to a registered team. Teams may need it when contacting the HFLC team or submitting work.

Each team has its own Team ID. Team members should keep it safe and use the relevant ID when discussing that team's work.

Team IDs are sent to teams before the first submission. Students and teachers should check the original welcome email and their junk or spam folder.

They should first check the email address used during registration, including the junk or spam folder.

If the Team ID still cannot be found, they should contact futureleaders@hult.edu from the email address used to register and include the team name. They should not send personal details about all of their teammates unless asked.

No. Team IDs and registration details will only be shared with the relevant team or authorized contact.

The team should check the email address used during registration, including the junk or spam folder.

If the confirmation cannot be found, contact futureleaders@hult.edu from the registering email address and include the team name. The HFLC team will confirm the registration status.

Contact the HFLC team with the team name and explain the correction needed. Provide only the minimum information necessary to identify the correction.

Each student should have their own correct email address on the registration record where required by the program process.

Contact futureleaders@hult.edu with the team name and explain the requested addition. The HFLC team will follow the current process for verifying and updating team records.

The team should check the email address used during registration, including the junk or spam folder.

If the confirmation cannot be found, contact futureleaders@hult.edu from the registering email address and include the team name. The HFLC team will confirm the registration status.

The winning teams receive the following Hult scholarships: First place: $15,000 scholarship to Hult. Second place: $10,000 scholarship to Hult. Third place: $5,000 scholarship to Hult. Participation does not guarantee a prize or scholarship.

The 2026 challenge is fully online, and no travel is required for any challenge stage or presentation.

No. The challenge is for pre-university students and is delivered online. Students do not need to travel to Hult to participate in the standard program.

Student information is used to administer the challenge and communicate with registered participants. The information is handled according to the program's privacy terms.

Photos are used only when teams provide them and grant permission for their use. Do not send photos of students without the appropriate permission.

Yes. Privacy and consent questions can be sent to futureleaders@hult.edu. Do not include unnecessary student personal information in an email.

Yes. Teams selected as semi-finalists will be asked to present their idea live to Hult professors on November 21, 2026.

Yes. Teams selected as finalists will be asked to present their idea live to LEGO on December 11, 2026.

No. Only teams selected as finalists present to LEGO.

Further presentation instructions will be shared with teams selected for the semi-finals and finals.

The first submission is the main required deliverable for every team. Only selected teams continue to the live stages.

Teams should focus on submitting a clear, original and well-supported presentation by the first deadline.

Students, teachers and counselors can contact:

futureleaders@hult.edu

When contacting the team, include the team name and explain the question clearly. Do not include unnecessary personal information, full team rosters or private registration records.

The Learning Hub is the main source for current challenge content, weekly materials, session information, recordings, submission guidance and resources.

Follow the most recent official instructions on the Learning Hub and contact futureleaders@hult.edu if the conflict affects a deadline, submission format, eligibility or live presentation.

Contact futureleaders@hult.edu with the team name and a clear description of the question. The HFLC team will provide guidance based on the current program information.

Yes. Teams can create new original characters for their concept. New characters must be created manually and must not be generated using AI.

Teams may refer to existing LEGO sets or minifigures to explain research, provide context or compare their idea with current products. The proposed concept must be original. Do not copy, redesign or present existing LEGO products, minifigures, characters, logos or trademarks as your own creative work.

Yes. Teams may embed videos, including stop-motion videos, in their PowerPoint presentation. Videos must support the idea, remain appropriate and fit within the 10-slide presentation. The main idea must be understandable without relying entirely on the video, and the presentation must still be submitted as a PowerPoint file.

Yes. Teams may discuss the show's content, storytelling, characters, episode duration or other aspects of how fans engage with NINJAGO. These points must support the proposed product or product line. The submission should not be only feedback on the show. Teams must explain how their insights lead to an original idea that would appeal to teens, deepen engagement with existing fans or attract new fans.

Yes. The product or experience can be connected to periodic events, a movie, a series or another format, provided that it is clearly connected to LEGO NINJAGO Legends and meets the challenge brief.

Yes. Brand collaborations are supported. Teams should be original and should avoid proposing companies that LEGO has already worked with. The presentation must explain the purpose of the collaboration and why it would help reach or engage teens.

The challenge is focused on the LEGO NINJAGO Legends sector. Teams should make NINJAGO the central focus of their product or product-line concept.

There is no official platform for teams to combine their ideas. Any groups or platforms that exist for students to collaborate with other teams are not affiliated with Hult.

The semi-final and final presentations must be no longer than 8 minutes.

No. Both the semi-finals and finals take place live over Zoom. They are not held in person.

No. Office Hours are not recorded. If a team misses Office Hours and has a question that is not answered in this FAQ, email futureleaders@hult.edu.