Celebrating Innovators at Our 50th Anniversary Induction Ceremony

On Oct. 25-26, 2023, world-changing creators and innovators gathered in Washington, D.C., to take part in the 2023 National Inventors Hall of Fame^® Induction Ceremony — a milestone event marking the Hall of Fame’s 50th year of inspiration, innovation and impact.

Hosted in partnership with our sponsors, including our founding partner the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Greatest Celebration of American Innovation^® was an unforgettable event honoring the 16 visionary inventors who make up the 2023 Class of National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees.

Gathering for the Illumination Ceremony

Our celebration began on Oct. 25 as Inductees and their families gathered at the National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum in Alexandria, Virginia. At the Illumination Ceremony, Inductees placed their names on their individual illuminated hexagons in the Gallery of Icons^™, a one-of-a-kind exhibit made up of icons representing each of our more than 600 Inductees. Arranged in chronological order by patent number, these icons tell the ongoing story of American innovation in a unique and beautiful way.

Our new Inductees then explored more of the museum’s exhibits, including the 2023 Class of Inductees exhibit. Here, we highlight each of their stories and display fascinating artifacts including invention prototypes.

The celebration continued at The Wharf in Washington, D.C., where the public was invited to enjoy a fun fireworks display and pose for photos with life-size superhero versions of our amazing 2023 Inductees.

Honoring Impact at the Induction Ceremony

Our 50th anniversary Induction Ceremony took place on Oct. 26 at The Anthem, a stunning Washington, D.C., venue. Celebrating alongside our 2023 class were past Inductees, sponsors and intellectual property leaders. For the first time, Collegiate Inventors Competition^® Finalists, who had competed Oct. 24-25, also were invited to attend the Induction Ceremony.

This black-tie event was emceed by Danica McKellar and Mo Rocca. McKellar is a New York Times bestselling author, math education advocate and star of the iconic television classic “The Wonder Years,” and Rocca is a humorist, journalist and podcast host known for hosting “The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation” and his popular “Mobituaries” podcast.

Our emcees were joined by speakers including Don Graves, United States Deputy Secretary of Commerce, and Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Vidal expressed gratitude for the many ways in which the members of our 2023 class have shaped industries, advanced society and improved lives.

The Induction Ceremony recognized the inspiring, diverse stories of our 2023 Inductees and their groundbreaking inventions that have made a lasting impact on many aspects of our lives, from health and mobility to technology and industry. Vidal presented medals to our Inductees, and for historical Inductees, awards were accepted by family members or representatives from the companies they’ve founded or advanced.

In one of the best and brightest moments of the evening, we welcomed to the stage individuals who represent the far-reaching impact of the National Inventors Hall of Fame mission to recognize inventors, promote creativity, and advance the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. These guests included Inductees Lonnie Johnson and Lisa Lindahl, CIC Finalist Ethan Damiani, educator and Camp Invention^® Director Amy Adams, Leadership Intern Arushi Pandey and Camp Invention camper Jalani Maitlan. All in attendance were inspired to see the Hall of Fame mission come full circle as these innovative individuals shared the stage.

The evening drew to a close with the Innovation Celebration, where Inductees and their guests were invited to continue celebrating with sponsors, intellectual property leaders and fellow inventors.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

It is only with the support of our partners that we can honor world-changing inventors every year. The National Inventors Hall of Fame team is grateful to our presenting partner, the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and all our generous 2023 sponsors, including Bobcat Co., Qualcomm, Alume Biosciences, PhRMA, University of California-San Diego, Clarence and Diane Carff, Deloitte, Human Engineering Research Laboratories, IBM, IFF, The Amos E. Joel Young Inventors Endowment, North Carolina State University, University of Pittsburgh and National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductee James J. Wynne.

We encourage you to learn how you can help move our mission forward, and we invite you to join us in dreaming of all we might accomplish together through collaboration and innovation in the next 50 years.