Based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Lemelson-MIT Program was established by the late independent inventor Jerome Lemelson and his wife, Dorothy, in 1994. An initiative of The Lemelson Foundation, the Lemelson-MIT Program presents inspiring inventor/innovator role models through outreach activities, courses, and annual awards, including the world's largest for invention—the $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize. The Progam's mission is to encourage young people to pursue careers in science, engineering, and technology and celebrate leaders in these fields.

The Lemelson-MIT Awards for Invention and Innovation
The annual Lemelson-MIT Awards recognize extraordinary American inventor-innovators, from a broad range of scientific and technical disciplines, who represent achievement at the professional and student levels.

The $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize is the world's largest single award for invention and innovation. It is presented to an outstanding professional inventor-innovator each April.

The Lemelson-MIT Lifetime Achievement Award honors an inventor-innovator for remarkable career-long contributions to American invention. It is presented each April.

The $30,000 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize is given to an MIT senior or graduate student who exhibits exceptional inventiveness. The award is presented each February.

InvenTeam Grants, up to $10,000 each, are awarded annually to high school teams—composed of a teacher, students, and a mentor from industry—formed for the purpose of inventing something of value for their schools or communites. The goal of the grant program is to raise the confidence level of the young people with respect to the innovative contributions they can make.

Find out more about the Lemelson-MIT Awards.