Throughout our history, XPRIZE has always encouraged competitors of all skill levels, from all over the world, to take part in our competitions. That’s because a good idea or breakthrough solution can come from anyone, anywhere. Ocean Quest, a junior high and high school student team from Valley Christian Schools (VCS) in San Jose, personified this notion, winning the hearts and minds of those who watched them compete in The Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE, which ran from 2015 to 2019.

WHAT IS THE SHELL OCEAN DISCOVERY XPRIZE?

The $7M competition challenged teams to significantly improve deep ocean exploration by developing advanced technologies to enable autonomous, fast, and high-resolution underwater imaging. Additionally, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) offered a $1M bonus prize to teams that developed technology that could locate a specified object in the ocean through biological and chemical signals.

HOW MUCH OF THE OCEAN HAS BEEN EXPLORED?

When the Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE launched in 2015, only about 5% of the ocean floor had been mapped; as of June 2024, that number has increased 26.1%.

HOW DID OCEAN QUEST DO IN THE SHELL OCEAN DISCOVERY XPRIZE?

Ocean Quest’s solution utilized an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and micro-AUV from Riptide, part of BAE Systems, which measured only a few feet long. Within this shell, the team housed sonar, sensors, and other equipment needed for ballast, guidance, data retrieval, and power generation. By coding these devices to work together and relay information to the team, Ocean Quest successfully passed many of the prerequisite rounds and launched tests to create a map of the ocean with varying success. 

Although they did not advance to the finals, Ocean Quest went on to place first among the teams competing for the NOAA bonus prize, gathering the highest quality data, impressing judges, and receiving $800k of the possible $1M prize purse. The team demonstrated resolve, ingenuity, and resourcefulness that captured the true spirit of XPRIZE. 

Today, VCS continues to encourage its students to challenge themselves in the fields of science and technology. Whether it’s developing programs for students to create science experiments aboard the International Space Station (ISS) or empowering students to explore solutions to big problems, like XPRIZE, the team at VCS believes that everyone has the ability to come up with a breakthrough innovation. To date, VCS students have competed in six XPRIZE competitions: the NRG Carbon Cosia XPRIZE, ANA Avatar XPRIZE, XPRIZE Healthspan, and XPRIZE Rainforest, in addition to their participation in the Ocean Discovery XPRIZE.

“It’s not lack of ability, but lack of opportunity that keeps kids back.”

-Danny Kim, Director of STEM for Valley Christian Schools

The Ocean Quest team’s journey showcases the power of innovation and perseverance. Learn more about their experience on XPRIZE Innovators and find out how you can participate in competitions that drive global change at xprize.org.

THE AUTHOR