Invention is critical to the future we all want
We support opportunities for children to experience invention education, with a focus on reaching students from low-income communities and groups under-represented in STEM. We work with key stakeholders – including educators and administrators – to build communities of practice that expand the reach and impact of invention education.
We believe helping new inventors identify and solve the problems of both today and tomorrow is an economic and social imperative.
Invention education helps inspire young inventors, while developing the skillsets and mindsets in students that the education community, policy makers, and corporate leaders cite as crucial to the economy of the future.
Our Approach
We fund organizations that develop the tools, resources, and evidence needed to provide invention education opportunities for all youth and foster the next generation of inventors.
We believe…
InventEd prepares students to succeed in tomorrow’s workforce:
- Develops the soft skills – like empathy, curiosity and resourcefulness – and hard skills – such as computer coding, data analysis, and design – that employers value in future leaders.
- Fosters an inventor’s mindset, building the skill set employers are demanding.
InventEd prepares students to create the industries and jobs of tomorrow:
- Develops the mindsets and skills that students can use to create new industries yet to be imagined.
- Inspires and prepares students to be future entrepreneurs and create good, well-paying jobs of the future.
InventEd prepares students to be leaders of tomorrow:
- Reinforces the value of listening to diverse perspectives.
- Prioritizes collaboration and teamwork.
- Helps students learn to recognize and solve problems.
The Lemelson Foundation is part of a growing community that advocates for the promise of invention education and supports programs to address gaps in innovation by income, race, and gender.