Mission:

The mission of the Pennsylvania Invention Convention is to provide students across Pennsylvania with the opportunity to explore, design, and create inventions to meet the needs of the end user, and to compete against other students for statewide recognition.

Regional Competition Date

Monday, November 17, 2025 @ CLIU 21 Schnecksville

Scoring Rubric

Who can participate?

Every K-12 student in Pennsylvania is invited to participate in the Pennsylvania Invention Convention including:

• Public

• Non-Public

• Parochial

• Charter

• and Home Schooled

Rules

Teams/Individuals:

Students may enter individually or may enter as a team of up to 4 members

Prototypes:

Prototypes may be built from any type of material which is not expressly prohibited or potentially dangerous.  You do NOT have to submit a working prototype. If you are selected as a finalist, you will display your prototype at the state event.  Please make special arrangements for large prototypes as most participants will be displaying on shared tables.

Regional: Present to Judges

Participants will interact with judges.

Design Documents:

Design Documents may include a digital logbook or notebook, photos of your logbook, photos of your invention, or any other documents you want to share about your design.

Prohibited Materials/Items:

• Weapons

• Explosives

• Dangerous Chemicals

• If you are not sure, please ask.

Regional Submissions:

Display invention and provide logbook for judges to review.

Tri-Fold Displays:

• Tri-Fold Displays are NOT required for the virtual competition.

• Tri-Fold Displays are REQUIRED for the regionals and the statewide competition (finalists only).

• Tri-Folds are MANDATORY for projects advancing to the U.S. Nationals.

Judging:

A scoring rubric will be used for consistent scoring.  The very nature of this event means that scoring is objective. Several judges will evaluate each project.  The PAIC executive directors holds the final say on all judging issues.

Finalists:

The top inventors of the virtual competition and winners of regional events will be invited to the face-to-face, state-wide competition.

Intellectual Property:

If you are interested in patenting your intellectual property, please speak with a patent attorney or familiarize yourself with patent law in Pennsylvania.  Please contact the PAIC Executive Director for helpful resources.

Fees/Cost:

Regional/State Competition - Varies

US Nationals - Fee as set by Invention Convention (U.S. Nationals).

Pennsylvania Invention Convention Website