This volunteer opportunity was first presented to Engineering for Change Fellows. Learn more about the Fellowship here!
Image courtesy of Madison Combs / Project Invent
Project Invent is inviting engineers and technical professionals to help mentor student teams as they design products that address real-world problems.
The nonprofit works with students ages 10 and up from across the United States, guiding them through a hands-on invention process. Each team partners with someone in their community, an individual or organization with a specific challenge. Then they get to work, building something that can make a difference. Past projects have taken on projects ranging from solar panel maintenance to mental health support tools. One middle school team created a custom video game controller for a classmate with cerebral palsy.
The students do the work, but they need technical guidance. That’s where volunteers come in.
“We empower students across the United States through invention for social good. We do this by training educators to bring invention into their classrooms,” Madison Combs, Volunteer Manager at Project Invent, said in a presentation to the Engineering for Change Fellowship. “Our program really focuses on elements of design thinking, engineering and entrepreneurship, because we believe that these are skills that every single individual, no matter what profession, can use to succeed, to create positive impact and advance social good.”
The program runs with the school year (October through May) and wraps up with Demo Days, where teams pitch their ideas to judges in a Shark Tank-style event. There’s Q&A, live demos, and a chance to win funding to keep building.
Volunteers are needed for a few different roles:
- Idea Reviews (December and March): Sit in on a Zoom call to hear student ideas and give feedback on things like feasibility and design. Many teams are working with Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or micro:bit, for example.
- Prototype Support (Spring): Be on call to help students troubleshoot hardware issues or software bugs as they come up. It’s a flexible, one-on-one opportunity to help students push through common technical challenges.
- Pitch Coaching (Spring): Join a virtual session and help students sharpen their storytelling. The goal is to help them clearly explain what they built and why it matters.
- Demo Day Judges & Keynote Speakers (May): Help select winning teams or share your experience with students as a guest speaker. Some events are virtual, and some happen in person.
Everything is designed to be low-commitment and flexible. Volunteers can sign up for just one session or join multiple times throughout the year.
Project Invent has supported more than 1,500 students in more than 20 US states since 2024, and those numbers are still rising.
If you’re interested in getting involved, email Madison Combs at madison@projectinvent.org or visit projectinvent.org to learn more.
Image courtesy of Madison Combs / Project Invent
