Deadline: November 30, 2017
Nominations are open to mid-career inventors for the Lemelson-MIT Prize 2018. The Lemelson-MIT Prize recognizes individuals who translate their ideas into inventions that improve the world. The prize is awarded to outstanding mid-career inventors, who have developed a patented product or process of significant value to society, which has been adopted for practical use, or has a high probability of being adopted.
Jerome H. Lemelson, one of U.S. history’s most prolific inventors, and his wife Dorothy founded the Lemelson-MIT Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1994. It is funded by The Lemelson Foundation and administered by MIT’s School of Engineering. The objectives of the Lemelson-MIT Prize are to:
- Recognize and reward America’s outstanding mid-career inventors,
- Celebrate individuals who enhance economic opportunity and community well-being through their inventive work and who have a global perspective,
- Increase awareness and foster the work of inventors and the potential for commercialization and wider adoption of their inventions
- Promote role models who can inspire young people to pursue creative lives and careers.
Benefits
- $500,000 to be won.
- Winners will be invited and encouraged to participate in Lemelson-MIT Program activities.
Eligibility
Candidates for the $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize must:
- First, be nominated by a nominator.
- Nominators are people with experience in engineering, science, medicine, academia, or business. Nominators may be inventors, venture capitalists, engineers, or other influential professionals.
- Be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
- Be mid-career, which is defined as having received their bachelor’s degree no more than twenty-five years ago.
- Be the primary inventor of two or more granted U.S. patents, one of which is a product or process that has been commercialized or has potential or realized adoption.
- Serve as an inspiration to young people, through their creativity, outreach or mentoring activities.
- Candidates may be individuals or two collaborating inventors, and they must be nominated by one of their peers.
Application Process
- Begin by nominating a candidate here.
- There are three stages to the nomination process: Initial, First, and Final Submissions. Reviews are conducted between the Initial and First Submission stages to determine if your nomination will proceed.
For more information, visit Lemelson-MIT Prize.
