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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

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Tong Prototype Prize 2008

Pen Smart

Pen Smart, $1,000 Judges’ Award for Special Merit, Schoofs Prize for Creativity (large image)
Pen Smart

Pen Smart: An ergonomic writing utensil that includes multiple writing tips, such as ball-point and felt-tip

“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.”

What advice would you give someone who is entering the competition next year?

“You should pursue your idea despite criticisms and drawbacks. If, like me, you have a good idea but are not experienced in the technical or mechanical process required to implement the idea, a good place to start is to do patent searches for similar products to learn how to develop the idea and about the patenting process.

“If the idea is complex, teaming up with other people can be extremely helpful.”

—Daniel Gartenberg

Innovator: Daniel Gartenberg
Judges' Award for Special Merit

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