LOS ANGELES — April 27, 2021 — AT&T and Imagination.org, powered by Two Bit Circus Foundation, today announced the winners of the 2020 Inventor’s Challenge. The Inventor’s Challenge empowers young inventors to harness their creative potential and address real issues that they face every day — fostering critical 21st century skills and attitudes like innovation, optimism, empathy, and the willingness to experiment and take risks. With the support of AT&T, Imagination.org challenged children from over 200 cities around the world to create a solution to a problem within their homes, schools or communities.
“We’d like to give a big thanks to all participants and acknowledge all the hard work that went into every submission,” said Nirvan Mullick, Founder of Imagination.org. “There were so many amazing projects that it wasn’t an easy task picking the winners. We can’t wait to see what you invent next!
The 2020 Inventor’s Challenge showcases impressive amounts of resourcefulness, creativity and ingenuity from students in grades pre-k all the way to high school. During a difficult year of social distancing and remote learning, the event provided a fun and inspiring way for kids to work together again. This year’s participants are especially commended for their successful navigation of these new challenges — working with their resources to share ideas, collaborate and create in a virtual setting.
“This is a life-changer for these kids, who were never even in the same classroom for this project” said Kristie Letter, a teacher of one of this year’s winners. “Thank you for making this possible during the strangest year I've ever had in 20 years of teaching.”
Despite all of the hardships, this year’s global contest had an amazing impact, with over 5,500 students participating globally to invent more than 125 potential solutions to problems around their homes, schools and communities.
Each of the individual winners will receive a Bitsbox kit (a learning system that teaches coding), WildCards (robotics hardware and software platform), AT&T/Imagination.org/Two Bit Circus Foundation swag, and a brand new Samsung tablet! The winners of the Grace Hopper Group Prize will receive a $1000 Seed grant to further develop their invention.
Without further ado, here are the winners of the 2020 Inventor’s Challenge!
- Thomas Edison Prize (PreK-2nd)
- A1 Scooper by Rebecca Byzon
- Mount Savage, MD
- Alexander Graham Bell Prize (3rd-5th Grade)
- Automatic Self Watering Plant by Anish Meruva
- Ashland, MA
- Nikola Tesla Prize (6th-8th Grade)
- Positive Pressure Cabinet w/ Clean Energy by Nitiyut Wongbuddha
- Bangkok, Bangkok
- Leonardo Da Vinci Prize (9th-12th Grade)
- Eco-Friendly, Economical, Energy Saving Burner by Heshani Vidumini Palihakkara
- Matara, Sri Lanka
- Grace Hopper Incubator Prize (All Ages - Group)
- Snack for All in the Little Corner by Warren Chen & Santiago Moreno Ontiveros
- Lafayette, CO
In its fourth annual year, the Inventor’s Challenge has engaged over 25,000 students from across the globe — providing a rewarding and fun way to foster new skills, exercise creativity, and use critical thinking to solve real issues with only the resources at hand. Stay tuned to Imagination.org and Two Bit Circus Foundation for information on next year’s Inventor’s Challenge. Or sign up for their newsletter at twobitcircus.org.
About Imagination.org, Powered by Two Bit:
The mission of Imagination.org, powered by Two Bit Circus Foundation a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is to find, foster and fund creativity and entrepreneurship in children around the world in order to raise a new generation of innovators and problem solvers who have the tools they need to build the world they imagine.
Fueling a movement to help kids and communities foster creativity through Creative Play, Imagination.org powered by Two Bit Circus Foundation, aims to grow Imagination Chapters around the world. Imagine a world where creativity and entrepreneurship are core social values nurtured in schools, homes and communities everywhere, where all children are taught to be creative thinkers and doers, and encouraged to make their very best ideas happen.
Architected for maximum social impact, Two Bit Circus Foundation, aims to cultivate the next generation of inventors, advance environmental stewardship, and spur community engagement by providing schools and youth of all means with access to hands-on STEAM learning, modern maker tools, and upcycled materials.
