Frequently Asked Questions

  • General

    Our Mission

    Stars of Science’s core mission is to cultivate interest and innovation in all things science-related with young Arab men and women. Stars of Science aims to open doors wide for rising Arab talent from across the region to follow their dreams and fulfill their maximum potential under the guidance of the world’s top scientific, professional and technical minds.

    The Stars of Science journey continues strong a decade later, with awe-inspiring successes by more than a hundred alumni and dozens of winners. In our 11th season straight, Stars of Science continues to evolve and reinvent itself to adapt to rapidly changing times and tackle ever-changing challenges in both the Arab World and around the globe. 

    The numbers of the past decade represent the values and ideals Stars of Science strives for, with over 30% of contestants being Arab women and close to half of total finalists being young female innovators from 18 different Arab nations. $14 million have so far been raised and invested in helping ideas come to life and ready for real-world implementations.

    Every member of the Stars of Science family is a firm believer in empowering young Arabs and helping them transform into catalysts of positive change and progress in their communities by making use of science, technology and innovation. Stars of Science ensures that young innovators have all the support and guidance they need to make their ideas succeed, while at the same time raising awareness across the Arab World about the importance of science and its potential to help lift up our societies to new heights.

  • The show

    Is Stars of Science an original TV concept?

    Yes, Stars of Science is an original TV concept. Stars of Science is Qatar Foundation’s flagship educational entertainment reality TV show (edutainment). In its 11 years, Stars of Science has been the Arab World’s leading innovation show, enabling the region’s rising science and technology trailblazers to make their ideas come to life for the benefit of their communities and the rest of the world.

    Can I watch full episode reruns on TV?

    Each of our broadcast partners includes reruns of the show’s full episodes. To find out the timing and TV station in your part of the world, please check our broadcasters page. Remember, you can watch any episode from the current season, as well as all the previous seasons on our website.

    http://www.starsofscience.com/broadcasters

     

    How do the candidates on the program get chosen?

     A team of experts from various scientific, technical and professional backgrounds reviews applications submitted online and assesses them based on the following criteria:

    • Novelty, prospective success, preparedness of the candidate, novel use of technology, the resourcefulness of the idea, how functional it could be, design ideas and its integration with the concept and of course not being already developed in the past, or have a significant change or improvement on something already available in industrial or consumer products and innovations. 

    Prospective candidates from across the Middle East and North Africa will participate in pitching sessions, and projects which fulfill the criteria listed above will be shortlisted for a secondary review and final selection by the Stars of Science jury members. For more information, please feel free to check our jury section with all the details.

    http://www.starsofscience.com/jury 

    After the initial selection, 8 finalists will go through four different stages throughout the show’s broadcast duration, with one bidding the show farewell after each phase depending on the jury and audience voting. After the “Majlis”, finalists will compete in the following phases: 

    • Proof of Concept: making their case to the jury and audience about why and how their idea will actually work.
       
    • Prototype Engineering: working on the “back-end” of their prototypes, ensuring the underlying mechanism and research is sound and ready for the next phase.
       
    • Prototype Production: after the design and engineering are completed, it’s time to produce the final prototype before its real-world testing
       
    • Prototype Testing: after a product’s research, engineering and design is complete, it’s time to test the prototype and how successful it was in addressing the problem or need each contestant set out to conquer.

    Where are the selected candidates from?

    Stars of Science welcomes applications from any man or woman of Arab descent from across the globe.

    What do the candidates win?

    The total value of prizes awarded during the final episode is $600,000 divided among four winners:

    • 1st Prize - $300,000
    • 2nd Prize - $150,000
    • 3rd Prize - $100,000
    • 4th Prize - $50,000

    Does the audience participate in the selection of the winners?

    Once the top four finalists are selected, viewers watching from home will have an equal say in who wins, along with the Stars of Science jury members. During the final week, voting will be open to the public on our website. The results of the online votes will be combined with the jury member decisions during the final episode, when the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place will be announced.

    What are the age requirements?

    Applicants of Arab descent must be between the ages of 18 and 35

    How does the jury assess each project in the Prototyping and Proof of Concept phases?

    During the proof of concept phase, the jury’s assessment will be split as follows:

    • Idea’s novelty feature proven 50%
    • Technical feasibility of engineering a prototype 30%
    • Candidate’s personal ability to take the lead and initiative 20%

     

    During the prototype engineering phase, the jury’s assessment will be split as follows:

    • Prototype’s overall functionality 50%
    • Prototype’s performance specifications 30%
    • Candidate’s personal ability to take the lead and initiative 20%

     

    During the prototype production phase, the jury’s assessment will be split as follows:

    • Performance and design integration 60%
    • Prototype’s perspective 20%
    • Candidate’s personal ability to take the lead and initiative 20%

     

    During the prototype testing phase, the jury’s assessment will be split as follows:

    • Prototype’s real-world testing and reported results 50%
    • User feedback and satisfaction with prototype 30%
    • Candidate’s personal ability to take the lead and initiative 20%

    What type of ideas does Stars of Science look for?

    Stars of Science seeks ideas that propose innovative and sustainable solutions in the following fields: 

    • Health and Biomedical Sciences
    • ICT and Computer Sciences
    • Energy and Environment

    How advanced can/should a project be?

    Stars of Science’s team is ready to consider projects in various stages of development, whether it’s in the early design stages, a basic prototype or even a patented idea. The only entries Stars of Science does not accept is a finished product that is ready for consumer or industrial use.

    I have lots of great ideas. How many can I submit?

    Prospective candidates can submit as many ideas as they wish. However, keep in mind that in case you were shortlisted, you will be expected to work on the idea selected, and not one of the other projects proposed. Therefore, we highly recommend you submit your favorite idea, and most importantly, the one you will be the most passionate about developing.

    What material do I need to submit with my application?

    In the early stages of your application, we ask that you submit only the most essential supporting materials, making sure that each attachment doesn’t exceed 2MB. Please ensure you have filled out the entire questionnaire explaining your idea, our team of experts will reach out to you if they require additional supporting materials.

    Your idea is an improvement on an existing product, can you apply?

    Stars of Science is willing to consider ideas that improve upon an existing product or idea, or makes it more sustainable, as long as it does not violate any patents related to the original idea or product.

    Does it cost anything to participate?

    No, Stars of Science covers the entire cost of travel, accommodation and development of each idea. Applicants and participants are not required to pay anything for applying and auditioning before being selected, or participating in the program if they are selected.

    Where can I Watch the Show?

    Stars of Science airs on several leading TV channels across the region, for a full list, please head to our Broadcasters Page for location-specific details and air times. Full episodes and bonus content are also available on your website and YouTube channel, as well as all our previous seasons http://www.starsofscience.com/broadcasters

     

    For our international viewers, Alaraby TV broadcasts around the globe. For a full list of Alaraby TV’s distribution & countries covered please visit: http://alaraby.tv/frequency

    Is a prototype or detailed sketches/renders necessary to apply by mail or audition?

    At this stage of the competition, we only need you to send us your most essential material in an attachment form that must not exceed 2MB and as long as you have filled in the questionnaire fully to explain your innovation concept, our team of experts will be in touch with you if needed. In any case we require more material, you can send it to the address: starsofscience@khayalprod.tv

    Why can’t I apply if I’m not between 18 and 35 years old?

    Stars of Science’s mission is to enable and empower young men and women from across the Arab World to materialize their contributions to science and technology. Although our team understands that contributions by older individuals are just as vital in finding the best solutions for problems we all face, we believe that incubators and accelerators are a better fit than the Stars of Science platform. Our partners at QSTP and QBIC are two great examples for older innovators looking to develop their ideas.