Tong Prototype Prize Home 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003
Innovation Days logo gold

What participants say

Hoopla Rack

Hoopla Rack,
third place and $4,000,
2008 Schoofs Prize for Creativity;
third place and $700,
Tong Prototype Prize;
and Younkle Best Presentation Award

“Through the whole process, I actually began to see my design turn into a prototype, and now my prototype might actually become a patented reality. By the end, I was so happy that I had chosen to take a chance on myself and do something that brought my engineering and hooping life together.”

—Danielle McIntosh

Pen Smart

Pen Smart,
$1,000 Judges’ Award for Special Merit,
2008 Schoofs Prize for Creativity

“I thought of this product two years ago—I wrote it down and kind of forgot about it for awhile. And I realized that if I didn’t do it, I’d always regret it, so I just decided to pursue it. The competition is a great outlet for anyone interested in innovation and development. The experience gives you the tools to develop the idea and the confidence to continue.”

—Daniel Gartenberg

« previous page     next page »

Tong Prototype Prize 2007

Second Place

Adaptive Fishing Kit

Adaptive Fishing Kit, first place and $10,000, Schoofs Prize for Creativity and second place and $2,500, Tong Prototype Prize (large image)
Adaptive Fishing Kit

Adaptive Fishing Kit: A system that adapts a standard fishing rod and reel so that people with injuries, paralysis or amputation can use it with one arm

“I had shoulder surgery this summer and was down for a couple months. I wanted to be fishing and not sitting at home. Being an engineer, I decided to do something about it. It’s an abstract idea, so it was extremely hard to come up with. It’s multiple mini designs compiled into one. I learned I’m not really a super good machinist, but when I need to get things done, I can. My next step is getting it out on the market and talking to people in the industry. It’s really nice to be rewarded for your work, not only in money, but also in seeing and competing against all these great designs.”
— Brian “Sunya” Nimityongskul

Innovator: Brian “Sunya” Nimityongskul
This entry won first place in the Schoofs Prize for Creativity.



Back to page topEnd of page