About this programme
Invent Oregon (branded InventOR) calls itself Oregon's only statewide collegiate prototyping challenge. It pushes student teams to build a physical invention around an entrepreneurial, human-centered approach to a real problem, summed up on the site as 'make something that matters.'
The program is run with Portland State University's Center for Entrepreneurship and backing from Business Oregon, with support named from the Roundhouse Foundation, the Lemelson Foundation, and The Ford Family Foundation.
Teams work through their own school's local competition, then a subset advances to a statewide bootcamp and the InventOR Collegiate Challenge finals each June, where teams pitch physical inventions for cash prizes.
How it works
Registration runs October through December: partner schools submit applications and select 5 to 10 teams per school for preliminary competitions.
January through April, each partner school runs its own local competition and advances two teams to the statewide Bootcamp.
In May, advancing teams attend the InventOR Bootcamp, a three-day intensive design sprint of rapid iteration and customer discovery.
In June, finalist teams present at the InventOR Collegiate Challenge finals. At least 2 team members must attend both the Bootcamp and the finals; missing this can mean disqualification and losing awarded funds.
Teams work through three core skill areas along the way: design thinking, testing a business model canvas, and storytelling to present their invention clearly.
Who can apply
Teams need at least 2 student members; resources are allocated for up to 4 eligible student members per team.
Eligible participants are community college, undergraduate, and graduate students who completed at least 12 credit hours in the most recent academic year, or alumni who graduated within the last 12 months from an Oregon college or university.
Submissions must be physical products. Invent Oregon does not accept lifestyle apps or standalone software without a physical component, though early-stage ideas are fine if the team can show meaningful progress toward building them.
A team cannot have earned more than $100,000 in revenue in any single year, and cannot have taken outside institutional funding (venture capital, private equity, and similar) that involves equity. Non-institutional funding up to $250,000 is allowed if it doesn't involve giving up equity.
How to apply
- Register through your school during the October to December registration window (your school submits applications and selects 5 to 10 teams).
- Compete in your school's local competition between January and April; the top two teams from each school advance.
- Attend the InventOR Bootcamp in May with at least 2 team members.
- Present at the InventOR Collegiate Challenge finals in June with at least 2 team members.
Frequently asked
Can I apply as an individual, or do I need a team?
You need a team of at least 2 student members; the program allocates resources for teams of up to 4.
Does my idea have to be a physical product?
Yes. Invent Oregon does not accept lifestyle apps or standalone software without a physical component, though an early-stage idea is fine if you can show meaningful progress toward it.
What do finalist teams actually win?
Finalist teams receive a $2,000 prototyping grant, and the top four teams plus specialty award winners share a total prize pool of $30,000 at the June finals.
Can my startup already have revenue or outside funding?
You can have revenue as long as it's not more than $100,000 in any single year, and non-institutional funding up to $250,000 is fine as long as it doesn't involve giving up equity; outside institutional funding like VC or private equity disqualifies a team.
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Reviewed 2026-09-25. Programmes change, so check eligibility, amounts and deadlines on the official page before you apply. CapEasy is a private firm and is not part of any government body.