The 2025 Contest is Now Open for Entries!

Submit your best new product ideas in any of seven categories for a chance at $25,000 USD and other great prizes. Here’s how to get started.

Help build a better tomorrow

Since Tech Briefs magazine launched the Create the Future Design contest in 2002 to recognize and reward engineering innovation, over 15,000 design ideas have been submitted by engineers, students, and entrepreneurs in more than 100 countries. Join the innovators who dared to dream big by entering your ideas today.

Read About All the 2024 Winning Inventions

Special Report spotlights the eight amazing winners in 2024 as well as honorable mentions in each category, plus the top ten most popular entries as voted by our community.

Click here to read more

A ‘Create the Future’ Winner Featured on ‘Here’s an Idea’

Spinal cord injury affects 17,000 Americans and 700,000 people worldwide each year. A research team at NeuroPair, Inc. won the Grand Prize in the 2023 Create the Future Design Contest for a revolutionary approach to spinal cord repair. In this Here’s an Idea podcast episode, Dr. Johannes Dapprich, NeuroPair’s CEO and founder, discusses their groundbreaking approach that addresses a critical need in the medical field, offering a fast and minimally invasive solution to a long-standing problem.

Listen now

Thank you from our Sponsors

“At COMSOL, we are very excited to recognize innovators and their important work this year. We are grateful for the opportunity to support the Create the Future Design Contest, which is an excellent platform for designers to showcase their ideas and products in front of a worldwide audience. Best of luck to all participants!”

— Bernt Nilsson, Senior Vice President of Marketing, COMSOL, Inc.

“From our beginnings, Mouser has supported engineers, innovators and students. We are proud of our longstanding support for the Create the Future Design Contest and the many innovations it has inspired.”

— Kevin Hess, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Mouser Electronics

Follow Us for Create the Future News

contest/2013
2013

PaintCan is a product similar to many types of standalone machine interface designed to streamline the process of selecting and purchasing paint in large home DIY stores. PaintCan allows users to customize the paint selection process without overloading service representative desks in paint departments.

Votes: 0
Views: 5324
Consumer Products

Romantaque - Post Hair Removal Hair Minimizing Lotion is a novel cosmetic that when applied to normal & intact skin after hair is removed by TWEP (Threading, Waxing, Epilation or Plucking) inhibits the hair growth increasing time gap between next need to remove hair session. It reduces the rate at which hair grows,

Votes: 2
Views: 6488
Consumer Products

Object Tracking Device is otherwise known as an object selecting device. This can be done by using our eye. At the front of the eye, keep three layers of transparent sheets. The inner most layer has an ordinary transparent sheet. The middle has a transparent display and finally the outer most layer has an ordinary transparent sheet.

Votes: 22
Views: 4773
Machinery & Equipment

If I can to tune a broadcasting station, then I also can tune the sun's light because the light is an electromagnetic wave.

The tuning circuit (coil+capacitor) captures the electromagnetic signal from the light and generate

voltage.

In my country the resources do not exist for this project. Only the United States can do this project,

Votes: 1
Views: 4469
Sustainable Technologies

While there have been many technological advancements in vehicle braking systems over the years (4-Wheel Disc, Anti-Lock, Electronic Stability Control, etc.), widespread advancements in friction materials and their manufacturing processes are few. The problematic nature of today’s resin bonded metallic (“RBM”) materials (including environmental, wear and performance issues, as well as declining quality from offshore production),

Votes: 1
Views: 4196
Transportation & Automotive

{ctf_profile:list:2013}

Top Ten Leaders

#1 with 493 votes!

    Road Cleaning Robot

#2 with 461 votes!

    Tsunami Coastal Communication & Warning System (TuCoWaS)

#3 with 432 votes!

    Detention Chair for Mentally Challenged Person

#4 with 392 votes!

    High Efficient Magnetic Engine for Power Generation

#5 with 382 votes!

    Collapso Transform - "The Backpack Bicycle" - (Bicycle Which Can Collapse in a 4-Step Fold Into a Backpack)

#6 with 379 votes!

    A Night Safety Alert Messaging System for Vehicles Using Vehicular Adhoc Networks (NSAMSV)

#7 with 362 votes!

    Multifunctional Bed for Quadriplegia Patients

#8 with 335 votes!

    A Novel Counting Device for Domestic Pressure Cooker for Hearing Impaired (CoDePec)

#9 with 298 votes!

    Zero Cost Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Using LPG

#10 with 202 votes!

    SM-39 Razor Air Superiority Fighter

The Runners Up

#11 with 193 votes
    Shoe Energy

#12 with 181 votes
    No to Topple of Car

#13 with 167 votes
    Gesture Controlled Underwater Cum Aerial Quadrotor

#14 with 144 votes
    Fabrication of Vehicle with Reverse Mode for Physically Challenged People

#15 with 143 votes
    Shape Memory Polymeric Temperature Sensor and Anti-counterfeit Label

#16 with 132 votes
    Gross Motor Development Machine

#17 with 124 votes
    LOC Micro

#18 with 92 votes
    Electromagnetic Brake for Car/Bike

#18 with 92 votes
    Master Switch    (tie)

#20 with 81 votes
    Solar Textile: Ultra-Light, Low-Cost, Flexible, and High-Efficiency Solar Energy Harvesters

#21 with 79 votes
    TA-pump

#22 with 75 votes
    Bioethanol 2nd Generation Integrated Reactor (Delignification, Saccharification and Fermentation)

#23 with 70 votes
    Portable Dual Stacked Solar Still

#24 with 67 votes
    Solar Powered High Speed Tram

#25 with 62 votes
    48V Town & Country Hybrid Powertrain (TC48)

#26 with 48 votes
    Charging Vehicle Battery by Steering Wheel Movement and Tire Rotation: Application in Hybrid/Electric Vehicles

#27 with 47 votes
    Vibration Energy Harvesting

#28 with 46 votes
    The Paradigm Shift in Wind Turbine Technology

#29 with 45 votes
    Specially Designed Vehicle for Disabled Person

#30 with 44 votes
    A Shot at a Better Shot Clock

#31 with 43 votes
    Scented Steaming Folder

#32 with 42 votes
    UroPal

#33 with 41 votes
    The Garbage Power

#33 with 41 votes
    Mooring Buoy Installation for Coral Reefs Conservation After Tsunami    (tie)

#35 with 40 votes
    Double Acting Internal Combustion Engine

#36 with 39 votes
    Household Filter Biogas

#36 with 39 votes
    Mycolysis - Pathogen Extinguisher    (tie)

#36 with 39 votes
    The Omeguitar Project: The Ultimate Digital Song-Training Accessory    (tie)

#39 with 37 votes
    SAM - "Friend of Front Line Soldiers"

#40 with 35 votes
    Car Crash Safety with Hydraulic Jacks

#41 with 34 votes
    Pars Aerial Rescue Robot

#41 with 34 votes
    Spinal Injury Protector for Ejection Seats    (tie)

#41 with 34 votes
    Doorbell Light    (tie)

#44 with 33 votes
    Increasing 4 Stroke Engine with Water Injection

#45 with 32 votes
    Automated Car

#46 with 31 votes
    Future of Spying-Killer Drones and MAV's

#47 with 30 votes
    Ergonomic Seat

#48 with 29 votes
    Water Saving Shower

#48 with 29 votes
    Induced NMR for Cancer Therapy    (tie)

#50 with 28 votes
    Salsa Saucer: A Better Way To Enjoy

#50 with 28 votes
    Impact Energy Dissipator    (tie)

#50 with 28 votes
    Swift Tram: High Speed Automated People Mover    (tie)

#53 with 27 votes
    DRET 6kW Power Generating System for Ancillary Load Onboard Vehicle

#53 with 27 votes
    Engineless Propulsion Technique for Aircraft    (tie)

#53 with 27 votes
    Free Gluten Flour with Modified Cassava Flour Fermented by Lactobacillus Plantarum Culture Starter    (tie)

#56 with 26 votes
    Saving the Honeybee: Low-Toxicity Integrated Pest Management Product

#56 with 26 votes
    Quadcop    (tie)

#58 with 25 votes
    Grass Powered Robot Mower

#58 with 25 votes
    Conversion of a 950va Petrol Generator to a Self Run 950va Renewable Energy – RE Rotary Genset    (tie)

#60 with 24 votes
    The Better Contact Lens Case

#60 with 24 votes
    Smart Prosthesis    (tie)

#60 with 24 votes
    Flatkart    (tie)

#60 with 24 votes
    Pepper Color Gas    (tie)

#64 with 23 votes
    Folding Grill

#65 with 22 votes
    Mars Biodome

#65 with 22 votes
    Fuel Flexible, Ultra-Portable Microturbine Generator    (tie)

#65 with 22 votes
    Object Tracking Device    (tie)

#68 with 20 votes
    Online GPS Traffic Assistant

#68 with 20 votes
    Wireless Solar Panel Heated Windshield Wiper Blade    (tie)

#68 with 20 votes
    Achieve More Than 85% Efficiency Windmill    (tie)

#71 with 19 votes
    In-Wheel Brushless DC Outer Rotor (Hub) Motor Used in Electically Driven Vehicles

#71 with 19 votes
    Compressed Air Engine    (tie)

#73 with 18 votes
    iPecs Pro Clinical Prosthetic Alignment and Assessment Tool

#74 with 17 votes
    Atlanta Commuter System

#75 with 16 votes
    Skin Assessment and Decubitus Ulcer Prevention System

#76 with 15 votes
    Feasibility of Hydrogen As An Alternative Fuel For an Internal Combustion Engine

#76 with 15 votes
    Near Earth Asteroids:The Celestial Chariots    (tie)

#76 with 15 votes
    3-Dental Mapping & Plugging    (tie)

#76 with 15 votes
    Test Strip Mixture Indicators    (tie)

#80 with 13 votes
    Speed Transmission Changer

#80 with 13 votes
    Gravity Development Board    (tie)

#80 with 13 votes
    Automatic Table/Surface Cleaner    (tie)

#80 with 13 votes
    Automated Active Flow Control System based on Fluidic Oscillators for Fuel-efficient Aircraft    (tie)

#80 with 13 votes
    Design of Decentralized Hydro Power Plant for Sustainable Development in Urban Areas    (tie)

#85 with 11 votes
    LED Torch with Acupressure points

#85 with 11 votes
    DOGU    (tie)

#85 with 11 votes
    ME2 Rotary Engine    (tie)

#85 with 11 votes
    Thorium Rescue Vehicle    (tie)

#85 with 11 votes
    Simplest Quasistatic Test Machine    (tie)

#90 with 10 votes
    Electromagnetic Repulsion in Suspension System for Vehicles

#90 with 10 votes
    IR Diabetic Sensor (Non-Invasive)    (tie)

#90 with 10 votes
    Pulsed Fusion Propulsion    (tie)

#90 with 10 votes
    CBPModule Disc Brake Dust Collection System    (tie)

#90 with 10 votes
    Hand-in-Scan Hand Hygiene Control System    (tie)

#90 with 10 votes
    Non-Invasive Magnetohydrodynamic Artificial Heart    (tie)

#90 with 10 votes
    Prillings for Next Generation Rocket Fuel    (tie)

#90 with 10 votes
    EYES ON. Colors Lighted Speedometer    (tie)

#90 with 10 votes
    Preventing Heart Attack with Machine and Solution    (tie)

#99 with 9 votes
    Vitalflo

#99 with 9 votes
    Electric Artificial Heart    (tie)

#99 with 9 votes
    New Transportation Infrustrature    (tie)

#99 with 9 votes
    OCOR Multiple Segment Lobe Pump    (tie)

#99 with 9 votes
    Street Legal, Ultra Compact EV is "More Eco-Friendly Than Using the Train"    (tie)

#99 with 9 votes
    New Spinal Tap Kit for Improved Accuracy and Accessibility.    (tie)

#99 with 9 votes
    Baby-In-Car (B.I.C.) Alarm    (tie)

#99 with 9 votes
    Renewable Power Generation System for Offshore Operations    (tie)

#99 with 9 votes
    RW-Ducted Fan: A Novel Concept to Improve the Forward Flight of VTOL UAVs and Tiltrotor Aerial Vehicles    (tie)

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