Sponsor Spotlight: TE Connectivity

It takes strong partnerships to carry out the mission of connecting generations of innovators. For more than 50 years, the National Inventors Hall of Fame^® has relied on the support of philanthropic partners that share our commitment to fulfilling this mission and building a brighter tomorrow.

One of our dedicated partners is TE Connectivity – a global industrial technology company that produces highly engineered connectors and sensors to make a more connected world possible.

Providing Solutions and Support

For more than 80 years, TE Connectivity has solved technological challenges. Across a wide range of industries, the company provides advanced solutions for innovation leaders and technology entrepreneurs, creating a safer, more sustainable and more productive future.

“TE Connectivity’s 9,000 engineers work every day to advance the way power, signal and data is distributed to advance next-generation transportation, renewable energy, automated factories, data centers, medical technology and more,” explained Brendan Stelmach, TE’s senior associate, global corporate responsibility. “Each of these fields is built upon generations of invention and innovation, and reaching the sustainable future we seek will require even more invention from our next generation.”

TE Connectivity also is committed to making a meaningful impact in the communities where its employees live and work. A central way the company does this is through its Community Ambassador Program. This program provides budgets to more than 100 sites globally, which they can allocate independently to local causes. “STEM education is a focus for our philanthropy globally,” Stelmach said.

As part of its focus on STEM education, TE Connectivity has partnered with the National Inventors Hall of Fame^® since 2015. The company provides support for underserved children to experience Camp Invention^®, the Hall of Fame’s nationwide summer STEM program for children in grades K-6.

In its Corporate Responsibility Report, TE Connectivity has set a goal to make an impact for more than 10 million individuals in next-generation STEM education by 2030. The company has already benefited more than 4 million individuals since 2020.

“Our charitable partners are critical in our efforts to reach learners around the world, and the National Inventors Hall of Fame is key among them,” said Stelmach. “The students educated and inspired by the Hall of Fame’s programming are receiving exactly the kind of next-generation education that we seek to promote.”

Investing in the Next Generation

In communities across the country, Camp Invention provides children with authentic invention education. Through hands-on opportunities to explore, collaborate and develop their own inventions to solve real-world problems, participants build the innovative mindset and skills they need to unlock their full potential.

“The National Inventors Hall of Fame provides excellent local STEM programming near many of our U.S. sites,” Stelmach said. “Our employees recognize the value of the camps as an investment in educating the next generation of innovators, leading 13 of our locations to include the Hall of Fame as one of their key annual partners.”

Discussing one of these locations, Matthew Whitcomb, the company’s Connected Living Solutions engineering manager, said, “TE’s site in Lickdale, Pennsylvania, provides yearly grants to the National Inventors Hall of Fame to support local underserved children in STEM programs. Our employees take great pride to see how TE is helping local programs and enjoy reading thank-you notes from the children on how they experimented, explored and created.”

One of the unique advantages provided by Camp Invention is its connection to National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees. In fact, each National Inventors Hall of Fame education program is not only inspired but directly informed by these world-changing innovators. By positioning great inventors as role models, these programs show children real-world examples of the power of ingenuity.

“Innovation comes in many forms, and without exposure to the many ways people from different backgrounds and experiences have changed the world, children may not realize their specific talents or passions, or their capacity to make a huge difference,” Stelmach said.

TE Connectivity values Camp Invention’s emphasis on building children’s persistence along with their STEM and problem-solving skills. “The story of any great invention is largely the story of many failures, iteration and eventual success,” Stelmach stated. “Learning to grow through past experiences, remain motivated and try again are critical lessons for a career and for life. The innovators highlighted in the National Inventors Hall of Fame and the lessons provided by their summer programming provide excellent models of persistence.”

TE Connectivity also recognizes the importance of delivering Camp Invention’s lessons in invention and perseverance through active, hands-on learning experiences. “Our increasingly digital world provides many amazing opportunities for children to explore new topics, but sometimes there is really no replacement for ‘getting your hands dirty,’” explained Stelmach. “Hands-on learning is the best way to teach certain key concepts while also being just plain fun! Kids learn best when they are enjoying themselves, and that is a hallmark of National Inventors Hall of Fame programming.”

Thank You, TE Connectivity

The National Inventors Hall of Fame team is grateful for TE Connectivity’s partnership and support in providing meaningful opportunities for the young problem solvers and innovators who will lead tomorrow’s workforce.

Visit TE Connectivity’s website to learn more about the many ways in which this global company invests in the future.