Student contests
zFairs is software from Illuminating Software for judged student contests — science fairs, History Day, invention, poetry, speech. Students enter, judges score, awards go out, and someone advances.
What we run
Students compete. Judges score. Awards go out. Someone advances.
For regional and state science fairs
ISEF forms have to be done before students can even begin. Most event tools make them register for a fair first — so families will not, and most fairs only look at paperwork at signup, months too late.
Two doors, on purpose
isef.app — kitchen table, no fair account. Guided packet, signatures, download.
zFairs — register to work the forms. Not on the event roster until they submit the project.
Wizards for ISEF or your own forms. Electronic or wet signatures.
For the person who actually runs Saturday
Full-time staff, Monday through Friday. Free live training when you want it. White-glove when a new director inherits the fair. We keep shipping.
Companion app on every event. Split judge and participant apps if you want.
For programs with more than one level
Exclusive software for National History Day. Invention Convention affiliates and The Henry Ford nationals run here too — we do not claim exclusive. Recommended by Society for Science.
The ladder
Linked sites, not one mega-site. Promote. Same login. Finish the next form.
Poetry, arts, speech, invention — not only science
Poetry Out Loud coordinators already run on zFairs. USPTO’s patent competition does too. A different Flex Flow, not a different company.
One event, every role
zFairs is software from Illuminating Software. Recommended by Society for Science. Exclusive software provider for National History Day.
What directors say
“Registration, payment, project scheduling, judging, and evaluations are all located in one place… I cannot recommend zFairs highly enough.”
Alaina McNaughton, Associate Director, National History Day
“What zFairs has been able to do in four weeks is truly amazing. Timely replies, and they make the changes that are practical.”
Timara Underbakke, Director, Twin Cities Regional Science Fairs
“Their passion for science fairs is reflected in their attention to detail… we would recommend zFairs platform, service, and support.”
Pratham Patkar, IT Director, Society for Science
A different path for each role. Publish a Flex Flow as a template. School caps, private links, bulk teacher register.
Online, in person, or virtual. Assignments, rounds, captains, awards. Students can judge other students when that is your model.
Notifications, pages, maps, banners. Brand it. One event can have several apps — judges and participants do not have to share a home screen.
Monday through Friday, a person
Free live training on demand. White-glove when the last volunteer who “knew the system” has left. We do not sell student data. Encrypted in transit and at rest.
Self-serve is real. So is 800-252-0903.