Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams

Awards Inspire a New Generation of Inventors

Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams is a national grants initiative of the Lemelson-MIT Program to foster inventiveness among high school students. InvenTeams composed of high school science, mathematics, or technology teachers, students, and mentors are asked to identify a problem to solve, research the problem, and develop a prototype invention as an in-class or extracurricular project. The program is designed to:

• Excite high school students about science, math, engineering, entrepreneurship, and invention
• Empower students through problem-solving
• Encourage a culture of invention in schools and communities.

InvenTeams projects have spanned many fields, from assistive devices to environmental technologies and consumer goods. Applicants are encouraged to consider the needs of the world's poorest people (those earning $2/day) when brainstorming project ideas. Applying is a two-step process. Applications for the 2009 InvenTeams are available online now.

The deadline for the initial application is April 25, 2008. Up to 35 Excite Award recipients will be selected from these applications, notified in the spring, and asked to complete a final application due in September. From these, up to 15 InvenTeams will be chosen and announced in early October. Grants of up to $10,000 per team will be awarded.

For more information, go to http://web.mit.edu/inventeams.