Entering the 2020 Collegiate Inventors Competition

The Collegiate Inventors Competition^® (CIC) gives students the opportunity to bring national attention to their work, gain valuable feedback from National Inventors Hall of Fame^® (NIHF) Inductees and compete for cash and prizes.

Why CIC?

For 30 years, CIC has provided a glimpse into the future of American innovation and the emerging technologies that will help us get there. Student innovators from across the country gather to showcase their inventions and compete for top prizes.

In 2020, CIC celebrated three decades of inspiration by searching for a new class of collegiate inventors to join us in looking back on the past, while dreaming up the future.

Unique Opportunities

Becoming a CIC Finalist means that your hard work pays off in big ways.

From the moment Finalists are selected, they receive exposure from NIHF social media posts, blog articles and news stories. In 2019, more than 50 news stories were published about CIC Finalists and the event, ranging from university spotlights to interviews with news publications.

Throughout the two-day event, participants grow their network by interacting with students from across the country. Presentations are judged by NIHF Inductees — the real-world inventors who Finalists will have the chance to get to know during the Awards Dinner. At the Expo event, Finalists display their work for patent experts from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and members of the public.

The top two teams in the Undergraduate and Graduate categories, as well as the People’s Choice Award winner, earn cash and prizes.

CIC is all about building new relationships with fellow inventors and entrepreneurs. The competition is a major step in advancing your innovation journey!

Enter the Competition

Visit our website to learn how to apply to the next CIC with your invention. The future starts here.