ELGIBILITY & CATEGORIES

Learn more about how eligibility, teams, and grade categories work.

Inventors must be in grades 3 through 12 and live or go to school in Missouri or the greater Kansas City metro area.
Inventors can take part through a school, a club, an after-school program, or from home.
A parent, guardian, or educator must come with the inventor on competition day.
There is no cost to participate

You can compete solo or as a team up to four, not both.
Team members can be in different grades. Teams compete in the grade category of their oldest member.
Every teammate must register and be present on competition day.
Teammates who don’t register or aren’t at the awards show aren’t eligible to win prizes or advance to Nationals.

Entries are grouped by grade, so you compete against inventors your own age.

There are no subject categories. Any idea that solves a real-world problem is welcome.

Each inventor or team submits one invention per year.
Your invention can be an original idea or an improvement on a product that already exists.
Returning inventors can resubmit the same invention if they’ve made big improvements since last time.
Prototypes can’t be flammable, combustible, or hazardous in any way.
Everyone follows the Code of Conduct.

Not sure you qualify?

Check the FAQ or reach out, and we’ll help you sort it out.