---
title: The Early Years Innovation Challenge, run by Oxford Edge in partnership with Babyzone
description: The Early Years Innovation Challenge brings together researchers, students, practitioners and entrepreneurs to design practical, scalable solutions for the earliest stage of life.
image: https://babyzone.org.uk/hubfs/Hackathon.png
---
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# The Early Years Innovation Challenge, run by Oxford Edge in partnership with Babyzone
The **Early Years Innovation Challenge**, run by Oxford Edge in partnership with [Babyzone](https://babyzone.org.uk/), brings together researchers, students, practitioners and entrepreneurs to design practical, scalable solutions for the earliest stage of life: from conception to age five. This sprint is created in collaboration with academic advisor [Dr Jun Zhao](https://www.linkedin.com/in/zhaojun/) (Oxford Child-Centred AI Design Lab/Oxford Department of Computer Science) and programme advisor [Dr Rob Hughes](http://linkedin.com/in/robert-hughes-5152ab27?originalSubdomain=uk) (CEO & co-founder of Tandem).
💡More than 80% of brain development happens before a child’s third birthday, yet early years support remains fragmented and under-resourced. This sprint is about translating proven evidence into tools, programmes and policies that parents and practitioners can actually use, bridging the gap between research and real-world practice.
Join us on **21st and 22nd November** for two fast-paced days of collaboration, creativity and impact. Multidisciplinary teams will tackle real early years challenges, from boosting parental confidence and embedding playful maths in daily routines, to using AI safely to strengthen parent-child connection and learning. You’ll work alongside mentors from education, data, design, health, and entrepreneurship and pitch your ideas to a panel of early childhood innovators and experts ready to champion the most promising solutions.
**Early years is a whole-system problem and it needs whole-system talent. Whatever you study or build, your expertise can help shape a better start for every child.**
📅Date: 21st and 22nd November
⏰Time: Friday 4pm onwards, Saturday 9.30am onwards
📍Location: Oxford Edge 37 St Giles OX1 3LD
**Agenda**
**Friday 21 Nov**
- 16.00 - Arrival, registrations and networking
- 16.15 - Opening remarks and introduction to Babyzone and Oxford Edge by George Looker
- 16.30 - 17.00 - Panel discussion on AI in Early Childhood Innovation (Rob Hughes, Sandra Fulque, Jun Zhao, George Looker)
- 17.00 - 17.15 - Tandem Demo by [Rob Hughes](https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-hughes-5152ab27/)
- 17.15 - 17.30 - Jules Demo by [Sandra Falque](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-falque-a1197620/)
- 17.30 - 18.30 - Team formation activity
- 18.30 - 20.00 - Hacking begins!
**Saturday 22 Nov**
- 8.30 - 9.00 - Arrival and networking breakfast
- 9.00 - 9.15 - Sync up on plan for the day, mentor introductions & team check-in
- 9.15 - 12.30 - Hacking session 1
- 12.30 - 13.00 - Lunch break
- 13.00 - 15.00 - Hacking session 2
- 15.00 - 15.30 - Final stretch, pitch practice
- 15.30 - 16.30 - Team presentations, Awards and wrap-up
**Registration Link** - [https://airtable.com/appScR5aYM6HpsGjF/paglVUrtBWfqm36Yq/form](https://airtable.com/appScR5aYM6HpsGjF/paglVUrtBWfqm36Yq/form)
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Supporting families through early years with expert guidance, resources, and community connection. Every child deserves the best start in life.
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### Contact Us
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