Inventors have the chance to win cash prizes and the opportunity to represent their school and Kansas City at the national and global competitions! At KCIC 2023, students received over $33,000 in cash prizes and awards. Award opportunities include: 

Special Awards 

Most Patentable, $1,000, presented by KCNSC.  
Inventors in our 9th/10th and 11th/12th Grade Tiers are eligible for this award.  

Future Shaper, $1,000, presented by KCNSC.  
Inventors in our 7th/8th and 9th/10th grades are eligible for this award.  

Early Innovator, $1,000, presented by KCNSC.  
Inventors in the 5th/6th grade tier are eligible for this award.

T-Serve Award, $1,000, presented by T-Serve Foundation for Technology Innovation.  

 

Linda Hall Library Awards 

Best in Show, $2,500, presented by Linda Hall Library.  
Awarded to the highest-scoring invention across all the grade tiers. 

Convention’s Choice Award, $500  
Given by a paper ballot vote of convention participants, including inventors, family members, attendees, and guests.   

Educator Appreciation, $500  
Given by the programming staff of the Linda Hall Library to recognize exceptional support for invention education in the Kansas City metro. Educator appreciation awards are given to educators, not student inventors.  
 

Grade Tier Awards 

First place, $500 
Second place, $300   
Third place, $150   

First place winners in each grade tier also earn an expenses-paid trip to Dearborn, Michigan to compete at Invention Convention U. S. Nationals in June.  

 

All awards scale for the size of the invention teams. Every competing team member earns the amount listed, regardless of the size of your invention team. 

Students must be present and compete at KCIC to receive an award.