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Pollinate Impact members having a conversation at a table.

From Survival to Sustainability for Impact Incubators

New research from Pollinate Impact focuses on how to ensure long-term success for incubators and accelerators in the Global South.

6 min read

The Powerful History of Early Black Invention

An inventor shares what Black invention means to her.

6 min read

Khatuchi Khasandi (center) speaking to a group at the 2025 Transforming African MedTech Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.

Building an Innovation Ecosystem for Entrepreneurs in Africa

A leader in African entrepreneurship shares how funders can support innovation-based enterprises in Kenya.

8 min read

Entrepreneurship Funders Network Executive Director Ifeoma Aduba, center, with peers at the 2024 EFN Convening.

The Role of Philanthropy in Supporting Impact Entrepreneurs

A network of philanthropic funders is helping innovators navigate challenging times.

10 min read

Protecting the Planet, One Engineering Class at a Time

How a wildlife biologist’s unconventional career path led to a sustainability movement in engineering education.

11 min read

Anuki Mudalige at the RTX Invention Convention U.S. Nationals.

Using Invention to Increase Mindfulness

An ancient mindfulness technique inspired this high schooler to invent a modern stress-reducing technology.

8 min read

A woman talks into a microphone on a stage.

This Engineer is Creating a Path for Accessible Solar Energy

Monique Dyers is a leader in renewable energy — and a role model for other engineers interested in entrepreneurship with purpose.

8 min read

A group of happy Calistoga InvenTeam students and their teacher Heather Brooks stand together, all wearing shirts with the Lemelson-MIT logo. They are posing in front of a Lemelson-MIT branded banner at EurekaFest at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Recognizing the Power of Invention Education for Re-Engaging Students

Discover how this educator’s introduction to invention education resulted in her students’ presenting at MIT, speaking on a U.S. Department of Education panel, and becoming SXSW finalists.

6 min read

Lesly Rojas in a lab.

Engineering for Good

Invention education programs inspired this young inventor to pursue engineering to make an impact in people’s lives.

9 min read

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  • Invention Roundup: Food Systems

    Invention Roundup: Food Systems

    Three Invention-Based Companies Whose Ideas Could Lead to a Healthier Future In honor of World Food Day, we’re spotlighting inventors whose work is rooted in rethinking food systems to benefit people and the planet. Across the world, hunger is the leading cause of death. Unequal access to food and inefficient supply chains leave millions of…

  • From Medical Student to Tech Entrepreneur

    From Medical Student to Tech Entrepreneur

    How One Inventor is Transforming Health Care in Rural India Through his startup company, Biosense, Abhishek Sen is helping remote communities in India get better testing for some of the country’s most pervasive diseases. How do you solve a chronic, widespread generational health problem in places where money and resources are scarce? That question led…

  • How Building Skateboards Inspired One Young Woman to Become an Engineer, Physicist — and Prizewinning Inventor

    How Building Skateboards Inspired One Young Woman to Become an Engineer, Physicist — and Prizewinning Inventor

    From a family of Vietnamese refugees and the only girl in her college physics program, Kayla Nguyen has overcome her share of obstacles. Now she’s working to encourage other women and girls interested in science. What do skateboards, surfing, and the astronaut Sally Ride have in common? For postdoctoral researcher Kayla Nguyen, they all played…

  • Invention for All

    Invention for All

    Lessons on How to Build a More Inclusive Ecosystem Note: All photos were taken before COVID-19 social distancing was put into effect. We are living in unprecedented times. Challenges are stacking up around us, from new emergencies like COVID-19 to existing issues like climate change. We are already seeing dramatic repercussions for our economy, our…

  • A New Model for Health Innovation in East Africa

    A New Model for Health Innovation in East Africa

    How our social enterprise providing life-saving medical oxygen responded to the pandemic, and showed the market opportunity for other inventors and entrepreneurs UPDATE: Since this article’s publication, Hewatele was awarded the inaugural Rotman Innovation of the Year Award by Grand Challenges Canada as one of its supported initiatives with the largest sustainable increase in lives saved orMore

  • Accessing Capital During a Pandemic: Resources for Early-Stage Entrepreneurs

    Accessing Capital During a Pandemic: Resources for Early-Stage Entrepreneurs

    Key Tips and Insights into Funding Sources during COVID-19 Note: An earlier version of this article was originally published on VentureWell’s Inside Impact blog. In the best of times, securing funding for a venture as a student entrepreneur can be tricky work. As the startup industry braces for the impacts of the COVID-19More

  • Invention Roundup: The Next Stage of COVID-19 Inventions

    Invention Roundup: The Next Stage of COVID-19 Inventions

    From Virus-Killing Robots to Improved Telemedicine Inventors continue to pivot and direct their ideas and energy to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Low-cost, rapid detection of the virus is still an important need. But in the absence of a vaccine, inventors are also looking for different ways to efficiently sanitize surfaces and kill the virus before…

  • Finding and Creating the Next Generation of Inventors

    Finding and Creating the Next Generation of Inventors

    Why the Future of Invention, STEM, and Our Children Depends on Advancing Equity Note: All photos were taken at Oregon MESA events before COVID-19 social distancing was put into effect. This has been a difficult year so far. If 2020 has shown us anything, it is that we as a society desperately need problem solvers.…

  • Why Every STEM Graduate Needs to Be Environmentally Focused

    Why Every STEM Graduate Needs to Be Environmentally Focused

    NOTE: To learn more on this topic, visit the Engineering for One Planet website. The United Nations Environment Program has crowned June 5th World Environment Day. And although the pandemic may have caused many news desks to push aside climate change headlines for the time being, we cannot afford to forget theMore