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PennVention is the annual student inventors’ competition at the University of Pennsylvania that takes students through the processes of bringing an idea from conceptualization to commercialization while providing the tools and resources necessary to help them create, develop and commercialize innovative products or services.

The competition begins in early November and culminates in the final Invention Fair in April. Through three distinct rounds, participants will receive intensive business mentoring services and vie for a chance to win a portion of the $60,000 in cash and in-kind services awarded at the final invention fair.

Participants will learn about patenting and legal issues, product design, manufacturing, development and marketing, and make valuable business connections for real-world experience.

Students are welcome and encouraged to attend seminars through The Weiss Tech House Mentoring Program to supplement and enhance the mentoring experience.

Past PennVention winners have gone on to secure patents, incorporate businesses, sell their products on QVC, solicit celebrity endorsements and contract with the US Government. Click here for an update on past PennVention winners!

Students need not participate in the Phase I Inspiration Round to participate in Phase II Achievement Round. Participation in the Phase II Achievement Round is mandatory to compete in Phase III, the final Invention Fair. Click here to register.

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All student inventors must register here.

Deadline: November 21, 2007 at 11:59 PM EST
To participate in this optional, non-competitive round, students must submit a brief document describing their innovative idea. Submissions will not be made public, nor will they be judged, but only teams that have entered this round will be eligible for the Mini-Mentoring Marathon in December.

Mini-Mentoring Marathon: This one-day, technological take on “speed dating” will provide students with the opportunity to discuss their ideas with dozens of industry leaders who will offer insightful feedback and advice on product development, biotechnology, law, venture capital, and entrepreneurship.

Upon entering the Inspiration Round, you will be asked to fill out a survey and indicate which kind of industry experts you wish to speak with during the Mini-Mentoring Marathon and why. Based on your responses, you will be assigned various fifteen-minute time slots to meet with individual professionals during the event. PennVention will do its best to accommodate your preferences and availabilities but all matches will be final. You will receive a biography of each of your designated mentors so that you can prepare questions ahead of time. Likewise, your mentors will be receiving information about your invention idea in advance of your appointments.

Deadline: February 16, 2008 at 11:59 PM EST
During this round, each team submits a more in-depth document including preliminary design specifications along with feasibility and commercial potential. All participants are given written feedback from several judges, including inventors, consultants, entrepreneurs and business professionals. This feedback is very valuable in fine-tuning inventions and moving them through the patent and licensing processes. The feedback can also assist in preparing for the Invention Fair. From this round, ten teams will be selected to move onto the final Invention Fair, each receiving $250 to go toward supplies needed to make the prototype. The ten finalists will also have the opportunity to apply to the Weiss Tech House Innovation Fund for up to $1000.

Leading up to the final invention fair on April 11^th, 2008, all ten finalists will receive:

• $250 cash to build a prototype of the invention and proceed to the Invention Fair.
• An opportunity for up to $1000 award from the Innovation Fund.
• Support for the solicitation of detailed manufacturing quotations as well as the construction of prototypes in advance of the Invention Fair.
• Support for market research as well as an independent professional valuation analysis in advance of the Invention Fair.