Project Invent

Project Invent is a non-profit organization that empowers high school and middle school students to develop technologies that solve real-world problems. The organization's core mission is to instill future-ready mindsets and skills in youth, enabling them to succeed individually while making a global impact through invention. Project Invent provides training, curriculum, and resources to educators, creating transformative learning experiences in classrooms across the United States. The business model is centered on partnerships with schools, corporate sponsors, and donors to fund its programs. A key aspect of the program involves connecting student teams with community partners—individuals or groups facing specific challenges—to ensure the inventions are human-centered and address genuine needs.

The organization was founded in 2018 by Connie Liu, a mechanical engineer from MIT and passionate educator. Liu's background in developing assistive technologies, such as the FingerReader for the blind, and her experience teaching design thinking at the Nueva School inspired her to create a platform for all students to experience the power of inventing for social good. She started the program at the school where she taught, and it quickly grew from nine students to a national network involving thousands of students in schools across multiple states, a majority of which are Title I schools. For her work, Liu was recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for education.

Project Invent's flagship program is a fellowship that provides educators with training, one-on-one coaching, and a national support community. Students participating in the program learn design thinking, engineering, and entrepreneurship skills. They identify a problem within their community, collaborate with a community partner, and then ideate, design, and prototype a physical technology solution. Past projects include a smart wallet to help the visually impaired detect bill denominations, a football helmet that detects early signs of a concussion, and a remote door-locking system for school safety. The year-long journey culminates in "Demo Day X" events, where students present their inventions to judges, investors, and tech experts, with opportunities to win funding to advance their projects.

Keywords: invention education, STEM for youth, social impact technology, K-12 engineering, design thinking for students, project-based learning, high school innovators, community-centered learning, ed-tech nonprofit, student empowerment, future-ready skills, assistive technology development, educator professional development, social good, youth entrepreneurship, changemaker education, human-centered design, STEM equity, classroom innovation, student invention programs