Below is a curated list of high-impact tools available free for students participating in the AI@ISU Innovation Challenge. These resources cover AI, cloud, coding, design, and productivity needs.

1. GitHub Student Developer Pack

  • What it is: A bundle of premium developer tools, cloud credits, and learning offers.
  • What you get: Access to GitHub Pro, free domain names, IDEs, hosting credits (Azure, DigitalOcean), and more.
  • How to claim: Verify student status with your @iastate.edu email at education.github.com/pack.
  • Use it for: Collaboration, version control, deployment, and team management.

 

2. Google Gemini for Students

  • What it is: Access to Google AI tools like Gemini Advanced, NotebookLM, and Deep Research.
  • What you get: 1-month AI Pro trial (includes 2TB Google Drive storage and Gemini Advanced features).
  • How to claim: Sign up at gemini.google/students.
  • Use it for: Brainstorming, research summaries, and content generation.

 

3. JetBrains Student Pack

  • What it is: Professional-grade IDEs for software development.
  • What you get: Free licenses for IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate, PyCharm, WebStorm, CLion, etc.
  • How to claim: Apply with your @iastate.edu email at jetbrains.com/academy/student-pack.
  • Use it for: Serious software, AI, and ML development projects.

 

4. Autodesk Education Access

  • What it is: CAD/CAE/3D design software suite.
  • What you get: 1-year renewable educational license for AutoCAD, Fusion 360, Revit, and others.
  • How to claim: Register and verify at autodesk.com/education/edu-software/overview.
  • Use it for: Engineering, robotics, and prototype visualization.

 

5. Namecheap (nc.me)

  • What it is: Free domain registration for students.
  • What you get: 1-year .me domain with SSL certificate.
  • How to claim: Sign up with your @iastate.edu email at nc.me.
  • Use it for: Hosting your project website or product demo.

 

6. Google Cloud for Education

  • What it is: Cloud infrastructure and AI tools.
  • What you get: Credits and access to training through faculty-issued coupons or programs.
  • How to claim: Visit cloud.google.com/edu
  • Use it for: Hosting models, deploying web apps, and managing datasets.

 

7. Cursor for Students

  • What it is: An AI-powered coding IDE with contextual code assistance.
  • What you get: 1-year free Cursor Pro license for university students.
  • How to claim: Apply at cursor.com/students with your @iastate.edu email.
  • Use it for: Rapid prototyping, debugging, and refactoring.

 

8. Figma for Education

  • What it is: Collaborative design and prototyping tool.
  • What you get: Free Figma and FigJam for verified students and educators.
  • How to claim: Create an education account with your @iastate.edu email at figma.com/education.
  • Use it for: UI/UX design, wireframes, and interactive prototypes.

 

9. Azure for Students

  • What it is: Microsoft’s student cloud program.
  • What you get: $100 in Azure credit, 20+ free services for 12 months, 65+ always-free tools — no credit card needed.
  • How to claim: Register with your @iastate.edu email at azure.microsoft.com/free/students.
  • Use it for: Hosting, AI model deployment, and data storage.

 

10. Canva Pro (Organizer Provided)

  • What it is: Premium design tool for visual and marketing materials.
  • What you get: Canva Pro seat issued by competition organizers.
  • How to claim: Email Tadiwa Mbuwayesango with your @iastate.edu email for access.
  • Use it for: Pitch decks, posters, and presentation visuals.

 

11. Notion for Education

  • What it is: Workspace for docs, project management, and wikis.
  • What you get: Free Plus Plan for individual students and free Plus for student orgs.
  • How to claim: Sign up using your @iastate.edu email at notion.com/education.
  • Use it for: Team notes, documentation, submission pages, and scheduling.

If your team needs a specific tool, API, dataset, or platform that isn’t already provided in our resource list, reach out to the AI@ISU Innovation Challenge team.

We’ll do one of three things:

  1. Check if we already have access to that resource through Iowa State or our partner programs.
  2. See if we can apply for academic or competition-based access on behalf of the challenge.
  3. If it’s not available, we’ll let your team know so you can decide whether to find an alternative or build a workaround.

Our goal is to help every team focus on innovation, not paywalls - but part of the challenge is learning how to navigate resource constraints creatively, just like real startups do.