Logo of Elemental Group at the Taranaki Science & Technology Fair, showcasing innovative STEM projects.
2 – 5 August 2026
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Technological Development

Preparing Your Entry

Technological development focuses on design to address needs/problems with a plan, prototypes or solution and evaluation and application of the product developed.

Please label boards Year level and school.

Submit Your Entry by 26 June 2026 (digital entry; you can work on your project right up to the event)

You may enter as an individual or a team of no more than two.

One entry per person/team only, in this category.

Scholarships

Scholarships may be awarded for projects within this category for year 11-13 students only. 

Example

See the example of a winning 2021 technological development entry – “Yogi Yogi Boards” by Gabriel Gerente (Yr 11)

Enter | Tāuru
Yogi Yoga Boards educational science project display.
“Yogi Yogi Boards”
/17

SCIENCE or TECHNOLOGY?

Find out if your project is a science or technology exhibit with the project identifier tool.

Has a theory been formulated to explain the observations?

Has an attempt been made to prove an hypothesis wrong?

Is the project a response to an hypothesis?

Rather than meeting a human need or opportunity, is the project mainly driven by curiosity about something?

Is the development of the identified product, process or environment the key element of the exhibit, including documentation with sufficient plans, models, etc., to verify the development process?

Was some of the research aimed at confirming the validity of the original need or opportunity, and/or finding out the precise nature of the problem to which they are developing a solution?

Is the project a response to an identified human need or opportunity for a product, process or environment?

Was much of the research aimed at guiding the development and/or improving the performance of the product, process or environment?

Is it concerned with something which could be mass-produced?

Was most of the research aimed at gathering new data in response to an observation and/or hypothesis?

Was most of the research aimed at gathering new data in response to an observation and/or hypothesis?

Did the gathering and processing of data ensure its validity and aim to determine its significance to causes of an effect?

Has an attempt been made to prove an hypothesis wrong?

Has a theory been formulated to explain the observations?

Is the scientific method the core process?

Does the project identify as important such attributes as: efficiency, optimisation, reliability, cost-effectiveness, appropriateness of materials, ergonomics, aesthetics, etc?

Does the project show that the satisfaction of the end-users of a product, process or environment was a key factor in guiding the development?