Held at the NAI Annual Conference, the Innovation Exchange brings together accomplished and emerging inventors from across NAI Member Institutions and the broader NAI community. Featuring exceptional inventions from universities, industry, national laboratories, military institutions, and the next generation of young innovators, NAI’s Innovation Exchange provides a distinguished national stage to share discoveries, celebrate ingenuity, and build connections across generations, disciplines, and institutions.
Through a series of distinctive showcases and competitions, the Innovation Exchange celebrates ingenuity at every stage of the inventor’s journey. From young innovators and emerging talent to accomplished inventors, each showcase highlights the people and inventions shaping our future.
Member Showcase
New for 2027, the Member Showcase brings together inventors from across the NAI community to share the discoveries, inventions, and innovations shaping our future. Open to inventors at every career stage, from emerging talent to accomplished researchers and distinguished inventors, the Showcase provides a national stage to highlight their work, gain visibility, and connect with peers and potential collaborators across disciplines, institutions, and industries.
Featuring inventors from NAI Member Institutions, NAI Chapters, and authors published in Technology and Innovation (T&I), the Member Showcase celebrates the breadth of ingenuity and impact across the NAI community.
As part of the Member Showcase, eligible university student inventors and teams will also have the opportunity to compete for the Dr. Barry B. Bercu Biomedical University Inventor Prize, recognizing an outstanding biomedical invention with the potential to advance human health.
Genspiration Prize Showcase
Made possible by the Genspiration Foundation, the Genspiration Prize recognizes individual students or student teams whose innovations have the potential to create great societal benefit. The Genspiration Young Inventors Prize recognizes outstanding innovation in two age groups: K-8th grade (K-8) and 9th grade-12th grade (9-12). Eligible participants must have previously received recognition for their invention through an established invention or innovation competition. The Genspiration University Inventors Prize is awarded to exceptional inventor or team pursuing Bachelor degrees. Learn more about the Genspiration Prize.
Joint Service Military Award Showcase
The NAI Innovation Alliance & Command Strategies Joint Service Award recognizes outstanding student inventors from U.S. military service academies and ROTC programs at NAI Member Institutions. The award celebrates inventions and innovations with the potential to address critical challenges facing the military, strengthen national security, and improve the lives of those who serve.
Selected finalists will be invited to present their inventions at the NAI Annual Conference, where they will engage with distinguished inventors and innovation leaders from across the nation. Finalists will compete for recognition and a share of the $20,000 prize pool.
Learn more about the Joint Service Award and application process.
Apply for the Innovation Exchange today! If you have questions about the Innovation Exchange program, please contact Carrie White at [email protected].
