The Junior Inventor 2009 competition is being run for primary school children by the Patents Office.
The aim is to encourage children to be innovative, and sow the seeds of interest in science and engineering at an early age.
The competition is being organised to mark the Patents Office’s contribution to World Intellectual Property Day, which is held annually on 26 April.
This year the theme of the day is the promotion of “green innovation” as the key to a secure future. So the Junior Inventor competition is looking for new ideas and inventions with an eco-friendly emphasis.
Suggested projects include:
- Any idea or invention that improves the environment
- Ideas for new “green” environmentally friendly products
- A new “green” procedure
- New environmentally friendly ways of creating energy or saving energy
- Any idea that uses green technology, solves an environmental problem and/or makes life better and more eco-friendly
How to take part
Students will need to submit a drawing or illustration for their invention, and a written description. The competition is divided into three categories and one overall winner:
- Junior infants to senior infants
- First class to third class
- Fourth class to sixth class
The closing date for entries is 5.30pm on Wednesday 8 April, 2009.
And the Patents Office reminds entrants that it won’t regard any entry in this competition as “constituting a patent application”. If the budding young inventors wish to get a patent for their inventions, they will need to make a separate application for a patent.
Learn more
Read the Junior Inventor 2009 competition rules
Download a poster about the competition for your school
