Exton, Pennsylvania – June 26, 2025 – Student innovation and entrepreneurship announces the launch of the 2025 ITWIN4GOOD challenge as the global infrastructure sector faces critical workforce shortages, Bentley systems, infrastructure engineering software companies, and energy that is enactus. This international competition allows university students to develop digital twin solutions to address the challenges of global infrastructure.
This initiative is coming at a crucial time. In recent years, the global infrastructure sector has faced a significant labor shortage despite increasing demand for better, more resilient infrastructure. For example, the American Engineering Company (ACEC) Research Institute reports that 49% of engineering companies face project backlogs for more than a year, while the construction industry faces more than 400,000 workers.
ITWIN4GOOD Challenge combines the passion for social and environmental impact with the power of digital technology to place students on the path to addressing workforce shortages. Through skill building and mentoring, the program will bring together global talent to grow a new and diverse pipeline of future infrastructure leaders and solution developers. Students embark on a six-week program featuring technical training, mentorship from Bentley, and opportunities to be certified as an ITWIN developer associate. Participants will use Bentley’s Itwin platform to create apps that affirm environmental or social impacts in their communities, either solo or in teams of up to three.
Challenge overview
From June to October 2025, students from the US, Germany, Canada, the UK and Ireland (collaborating), Brazil will take part in the national round. Top performers will present solutions to an industry expert panel, compete for cash awards, advance to the virtual “Champions of Champions” showdown, and win the opportunity for global winners to take part in the Enactus World Cup 2025 in Bangkok.
“The ITWIN4GOOD Challenge is more than a student competition, a catalyst for change and a strategic investment in the future of infrastructure,” said Chris Bradshaw, Chief Sustainability and Education Officer at Bentley Systems. “By involving young minds in real-world problem solving and equipping the next generation with digital twin expertise, we are cultivating the talent to address both today’s infrastructure needs and tomorrow’s sustainability challenges.”
“This partnership illustrates what we are doing best. It makes it easier for students to tackle real-world challenges through innovation and entrepreneurship,” said George Tsiatis, president and CEO of Enactus Global & Resolution Project.
This hands-on experience will help train industry-ready experts who can apply digital twin technology to solve real-world challenges, bridging the gap between academic learning and impactful infrastructure innovation. To see the initiatives that are active, check out the final presentation from Kazakhstan for the 2024 ITWIN4GOOD Championship.
About Enatus
Enactus is the world’s largest experiential learning platform that develops entrepreneurial leaders and social innovators in over 35 countries. Through our network of universities and business leaders, we participate in team-based projects that build critical leadership, project management and enterprise skills while creating important economic, social and environmental impacts. Founded in 1975, Enactus students have launched over 75,000 projects and businesses, benefiting millions of people around the world, building a head of business and a global mind while fostering the leaders of tomorrow.
About Bentley Systems
Around the world, infrastructure experts rely on Bentley Systems software to help design, build and operate better, more resilient infrastructures for transportation, water, energy, cities and more. Founded in 1984 by engineers for engineers, Bentley is the perfect partner for engineering companies and owner operators around the world, with software spanning all stages of the engineering sector, industrial sector and infrastructure lifecycle. Through digital twin solutions, we help infrastructure experts unlock data value and translate project delivery and asset performance.
