The $100,000 Lemelson-MIT Award for Global Innovation recognizes individuals whose technological innovations improve the lives of impoverished people in the developing world. The award also establishes (or creates) inventor role models who can inspire youth to solve challenges in the developing world through invention.
To foster technological innovation for the developing world, the Lemelson-MIT Award for Global Innovation celebrates outstanding technology-focused inventors who:
- work in any of the following areas of basic human needs of health, shelter, energy, agriculture, quality of air, water, soil, shelter, education, or ecosystem management
- have already disseminated technology/ies that are further scalable or replicable
- draw attention to, and increase youth interest in, the challenges facing developing countries and the role of invention in addressing those challenges
Eligibility Requirements
- Eligible candidates of the $100,000 Lemelson-MIT Award for Global Innovation must:
- be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or foreign nationals currently working legally in the United States
- have created a product, process or material; made a technology more affordable; redesigned a system; or otherwise demonstrated remarkable technological inventiveness in addressing issues that affect the developing world
- provide evidence that their inventions have been adopted for practical use
- work in an area that ultimately improves quality of life (e.g., health, energy quality of air, water or soil, agriculture, shelter, education, biodiversity or ecosystem management)
- serve as an inspiration to young people, through their creativity, outreach or mentoring activities
Candidates may be individuals or a team of two collaborating inventors, and they must be nominated by one of their peers.
Patents are not required for this award, since, in some cases, a key to sustainable impact may require not patenting a technology; however, the caliber of the technology should be such that it could be patented.
Winners will be invited and encouraged to participate in Lemelson-MIT Program activities, including outreach opportunities to inspire young people to pursue creative lives and careers through invention.
The deadline to nominate a candidate for the 2012 Lemelson-MIT Award for Global Innovation is Tuesday, October 4, 2011. For more information, visit this link.
