Georgia AIM Celebrates Student Ideas at K-12 InVenture Prize State Finals
More than 250 K-12 student inventors from 44 schools across Georgia recently gathered at Georgia Tech to showcase their inventions and compete in the 2025 K-12 InVenture Prize State Finals.
This year, 101 student teams advanced from the online qualifier and regional qualifying events, bringing their solutions to real-world problems to the forefront.
The K-12 InVenture Prize, which is supported by Georgia AIM, saw students joined by family, friends, teachers, and community partners, many of whom volunteered as judges or assisted with event duties. More than 40 student inventors were honored with awards, and 24 winners will advance to the Invention Convention U.S. Nationals at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan, in June.
Empowering the Next Generation of Innovators
This is the second year students from the heart of Southwest Georgia took part in the competition. Georgia AIM is making strides in fostering innovation, workforce development, and economic growth in Thomasville. Through additional funding support from Georgia AIM’s, the K-12 InVenture Prize expanded its reach into this area and provided more students with the opportunity to participate.
As AI continues to transform industries, Georgia AIM is at the forefront of ensuring that rural communities are not left behind. By providing access to cutting-edge technology and educational resources, Georgia AIM is creating new opportunities for high-growth careers in AI-powered manufacturing and ensuring a workforce of the future.
Winning Combinations
The K-12 InVenture Prize, based in the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC), challenges K-12 students to identify real-world problems and design solutions through analysis, creativity, and the engineering design process.
“State Finals is always the highlight of our year, and this year was no different,” said Danyelle Larkin, director of the K-12 InVenture Prize. “It is so amazing to have our students, teachers, and families all gathered here on campus to compete and celebrate our amazing student inventor-entrepreneurs. Some of our students return with new iterations of their inventions each year. They keep on working on their designs, refining and continuing to make improvements. We love to see our students grow and learn. They actually teach and inspire us with their tenacity, hard work, and willingness to learn and grow.”