During National Inventors Month, and as part of AMRoC Fab Lab’s Month of Making, we want to celebrate our young innovators along with our somewhat older ones.  To that end, we’ve teamed up with the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame, with at the University of South Florida, with support from the Florida High Tech Corridor, to launch a Young Innovators Challenge !

“I Have an Idea!”

“I Have an Idea!” challenges youth ages 8-18 to solve a problem in their lives, that might be a problem for others as well. Students can enter individually or in teams of up to 4 students, in two age categories:

  • Elementary (8-12) and
  • Middle/High School (ages 13-18).

Deadline to enter is June 30, 2021.

This challenge asks:

What bugs you? What challenge do you routinely come up against in your life at school, at home, at work or at play?

Is it a problem for others, too?  If you had the chance to solve that problem, how would you do it?

Would you create a new product? A service? A method?

Do you think your challenge is enough of a problem for others that they might be interested in trying your solution?

Well, here is your chance to find out!

How to Participate

There two age categories for participation:

  • Elementary for ages 8-12 and
  • Middle/High School for ages 13+.

Students may participate individually or in teams of up to 4 students. Submission entry form is here:

Here’s my Great Idea!

You have until June 30 to put together a competition entry that includes:

  • The name of your Great Idea
  • A short description of the problem you want to solve (50 words max)
  • A proposal of no more than 500 words plus up to two attachments that includes
    • A problem statement
    • A clear description of the process or product
    • Illustrations (drawings, CAD, video)
    • Cost to produce
    • Setbacks you may have encountered in developing your idea, or how it changed from your initial idea to your final solution
    • Market research that confirms your problem a problem other people experience too, and how you know that, plus:
      • Does anything else like your solution already exist?
      • What you think people would pay for your solution and
      • What you are basing your retail cost estimate on.

How Entries Are Evaluated

Judges are looking for:

  • An actual problem statement that describes a challenge you and others face
  • A well-researched and documented solution
  • Potential actual marketability of your solution

Participants Receive

  • Access to AMRoC Fab Lab, a 7500 sq. ft. creative space at University Mall for prototyping or design help, research, and professional guidance.
  • Invitation to a Demo Day at AMRoC Fab Lab to present their projects.

Awards

There will be 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners in each age category.

  • Winners will receive trophy & gift card.
  • 1st place winners will also enjoy a special Meet & Greet with Inventors from Inventors Hall of Fame.
  • All three award winners in each age category will also have an opportunity to showcase their innovation in the AMRoC Showcase Kiosk at University Mall, and at the annual ROBOTICON Tampa Bay event held at the Yuengling Center at USF in the fall.

You can download full competition information here.

About the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame

The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame honors and celebrates those inventors whose achievements have advanced the quality of life for Floridians, our state and our nation. Recognized by the Florida Senate as a state-wide initiative, the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame encourages individuals of all ages and backgrounds to strive toward the betterment of Florida and society through continuous, groundbreaking innovation. The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame is located at the USF Research Park on the University of South Florida, Tampa campus. Visit FloridaInvents.org to learn more.

About the Florida High Tech Corridor

The Florida High Tech Corridor Council is an economic development initiative of three of the country’s largest research institutions: University of Central Florida, University of South Florida and University of Florida. Our mission is to grow high tech industry and innovation – and the workforce to support it – in a 23-county region spanning the state. We facilitate collaborations between partners in academia, industry and economic development to create communities with unlimited potential.  Visit floridahightech.com to learn more.

About AMRoC Fab Lab

The Advanced Manufacturing & Robotics Center (AMRoC) Fab Lab, a program of the nonprofit Foundation for Community Driven Innovation (FCDI), is a public Fab Lab dedicated to building capacity in the University Area community, empowering individuals through creative self-expression and bridging the manufacturing and industry talent gap through robust project-based engineering education and training. Visit AMROCTampaBay.com to learn more.