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The Process

Teams of one to four Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û students will introduce their innovation in a preliminary round to a panel of experts who will determine five finalists that will advance to a final round.

At the conclusion of the final round, the top two competitors selected by the panel and one “People's Choice” competitor selected by the audience will be offered cash prizes, grants, scholarships, or in-kind services such as legal assistance for patent filings or other similar professional services. The top team may also be granted the opportunity to represent Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û at future regional pitch competitions.

• Innovativeness
  Is the idea novel? How does it compare to other ideas that address the same problem?
• Marketability
  Is there a demand for the invention? Will people buy it?
• Market Size
  How big is the market for the invention?

• Inventor Passion
  How driven is the inventor or team by the idea?
• Probability of Becoming a Successful Business
  Would someone invest in helping make the invention a reality?

Can I do anything I wish with the cash prize?
Yes, but we strongly encourage you to invest it in your invention!

Can I enter with multiple inventions?
No. Only one invention per student is allowed, regardless of team or individual status.

Do I have to have a working prototype to compete?
No, you do not have to have a working prototype or a prototype at all. Obviously it helps the judges and the organizers if you can demonstrate a prototype, but you can always explain your concept to the judges without a fully functioning prototype.

Our invention was developed as part of a project class. How does this affect our ability to enter?
This should not affect your ability to enter. Please indicate which class your idea resulted from during registration and the name of the course professor. The innovateÕý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û organizers may verify the disposition of the submitted intellectual property with the University of North Georgia Research Corporation.

Should I keep an inventor's notebook?
Yes. The organizers strongly encourage students to keep an inventor's notebook. To this end, one notebook will be provided to each student whose team has completed their Inventor Profile.

An inventor's notebook is a written record of your invention and your progress in developing it. There are many websites offering guides to the proper keeping of an inventor’s notebook. When using your notebook, keep in mind these five simple attributes:

• Notebooks must be permanently bound with consecutively numbered pages.
• Use legible and permanent (inked) entries.
• Use initialed (or signed) and dated entries.
• Signatures should be witnessed for significant entries.
• Witnesses need to understand the technology but would not be named as co-inventors.

A patent can be litigated at any time during its life. Twenty to twenty-five years can elapse from the date of the initial concept to the expiration of an issued patent. It is therefore important to maintain your notebooks accordingly.