Between 2010 and the Fall of 2017 nearly 500 design students from 15 different colleges and universities around the world took part in the original University Hall of Innovation Groovystuff by Design Challenge.
In 2016 the University Hall of Innovation was officially incorporated as a non-profit in the state of North Carolina and Marywood University took on the first two pilot Challenges with outside manufacturers.
After the 2018 Spring High Point Market Chris Bruning closed Groovystuff, Inc, and Stephen Garrison assumed the role of President of the University Hall of Innovation. In continuing the development of the by Design Challenges and University Hall of Innovation, 2018 saw the inaugural by Design Plywood Challenge undertaken by Auburn University, Shu-Te University, the University of Minnesota, and Marywood University. This Challenge involves an exhibition of scale models at Fall High Point Market and popular voting to determine which students and products will be invited to exhibit full-scale designs at Spring High Point Market. From this first exhibit in October 2018, there will be 12 full-scale products on display April 2019.
2010-2019 Participating Schools Appalachian State University The Art Institute of Las Vegas Auburn University Columbia College – Chicago Florida State University KMIT (Bangkok, Thailand) Marywood University NC State University Purdue University SIU Carbondale The University of Georgia University of Idaho The University of Minnesota UNC – Greensboro The University of Oregon