Spring 2012 marked the inaugural International Development Research Network (IDRN) Development Challenge, in which teams submitted detailed proposals outlining suggestions for addressing a specific development challenge affecting a less-developed region. Ten teams had to pass through two stages of competition in order to be eligible for the cash rewards that would allow them to begin implementation of their projects.
The competition concluded at a final event on May 22 at which teams presented their proposals to a panel of judges, and three finalists were selected to receive the prize money.