Overview
Run by Tech Briefs since 2002, this is one of the longest-running engineering design contests in the world, with more than 16,000 product ideas submitted from over 100 countries across its history. The format is deliberately open: the entry is a written technical abstract paired with at least one visual, and the judging rewards genuine innovation over polish. Two rounds determine the winners — a written round that surfaces the Top 100 entries and seven category finalists, followed by a live in-person finals in New York City where each finalist pitches to an independent industry panel.
How the Competition Works
The entry itself is short by design — a technical abstract of up to 500 words plus one to three visual illustrations. The abstract has to cover four things: how the invention works, what makes it novel, how it would be produced, and where it would be applied. Entries without an illustration are disqualified, no exceptions.
- Round 1 — Written Judging: A panel of 24+ judges drawn from the Tech Briefs editorial board scores entries against three criteria: Innovation (50%), Manufacturability (25%), and Marketability (25%). The Top 100 entries advance, and one finalist per category is selected.
- Round 2 — Live Finals in NYC: Category finalists travel to New York and deliver a 10-minute pitch followed by Q&A with the judging panel. The Grand Prize and seven Category winners are announced at the conclusion of the live event.
- Popular Vote (parallel track): Entries that opt in to public display are eligible for a Top 10 Most Popular Entries prize, decided by registered site voting. This track has no bearing on the Grand Prize or Category winners.
The Seven Categories
- Aerospace & Defense
- Automotive & Transportation
- Consumer Product Design
- Electronics / Sensors / IoT
- Manufacturing / Robotics / Automation
- Medical
- Sustainable Technologies / Future Energy
Who It's For
Picture a teenager who keeps a running list of things that don't work the way they should — the medical device that's clunky, the part of a car that wastes energy, the everyday object that could be redesigned from scratch. This contest rewards that kind of mind. Because the entry is a written abstract paired with visuals rather than a built prototype, students who think in concepts and sketches can compete on the same footing as students with full lab access. The work demands rigor — judges expect a clear explanation of how the invention works, why it's novel, and where it would be used — but it doesn't require a maker space or specialized equipment.
What Makes This Different
The bar this contest sets is unusual for a high school–accessible competition: it asks for a product idea, not a science fair experiment. There's no required research methodology, no data collection, no literature review. What it wants is a genuinely new design, explained well enough that an industry judge can evaluate whether it could actually work, actually be built, and actually find a market. For a student who thinks in inventions, that's a rare prompt.
Application & Eligibility
- Entries may be submitted as an individual or a team
- Team entries need at least one member who is 18 or older to serve as team leader — a parent, teacher, or mentor can fill that role for a team of younger students. Individual entrants must be 18 or older
- Product designs must either not yet be in commercial production at time of entry, or have been introduced to the commercial market within the last 12 months
- The entrant warrants the design is original and does not infringe third-party IP
Cost & Information
- Entry: Free
- Submission window: Contest typically opens in March and runs through the summer. Finalists are announced in September, with the live finals held in New York City in November.
- Grand Prize: $25,000
- Category Prizes: One winner per category (seven total)
- Top 100 Entries: Recognition and publication in a special Tech Briefs supplement
- Top 10 Most Popular Entries: Separate prize track decided by public vote