June 1, 2025 at KID Museum Bethesda Metro Center

Thank you for joining us!

More than 650 middle school students from across the region spent the last year researching, prototyping, and building new skills as they worked to invent an answer to this question: What Will You Make to Improve Life on This Planet?

We got to witness their creations at the Invent the Future Expo!

In addition to the showcase from our local youth inventors, we hosted hands-on activities, exciting performances, and informative talks from over 30 local, regional, and national organizations working in everything from iced tea to quantum mechanics. We are so grateful to all of our sponsors, exhibitors, and visitors for making this such an incredible day.

Mark you calendar for the 2026 Invent the Future Expo on May 31.

VIEW THE EXPO PHOTO GALLERY!

two girls in Shady Grove Middle School t-shirts shriek joyously at the news that they've won an Invent The Future Expo award.

CONGRATULATIONS, WINNERS!

2025 PEPCO SUSTAINABILITY AWARD WINNER:
ECO-WARE
Biodegradable cutlery and cookware.

KID Museum ITF After-School Club

2025 PRESENTATION EXCELLENCE AWARD:
TREE DRONE
Planting new forests, one drone at a time.

Eastern Middle School

2025 PRESENTATION EXCELLENCE AWARD:
MULTI-SENSORY FIDGET
The next big thing in neurodivergent accommodations.

The Siena School

2025 PRESENTATION EXCELLENCE AWARD:
PINE-1-1
An in-store emergency response system disguised as a cheerful pineapple.

Montgomery Village Middle School

2025 INNOVATION AWARD:
FARMBOT
Taking agriculture into the next century.

Rose L. Hardy Middle School

2025 INNOVATION AWARD:
BIOPLASTIC SHOPPING BAGS
Biodegradable replacements for one of the country’s most-used objects.

Parkland Middle School

2025 INNOVATION AWARD:
HANDY DISPOSER
A vending machine designed specifically to meet the needs of homeless people in our community.

Kramer Middle School

2025 DIGITAL DESIGN AWARD:
SONAR & DOLPHINS
Deep-sea navigation systems that won’t harm wildlife.

Shady Grove Middle School

2025 DIGITAL DESIGN AWARD:
HELPING MUTE PEOPLE SPEAK
A talking wristband inspired by a close friend’s communication disorder.

Sligo Middle School

2025 DIGITAL DESIGN AWARD:
SALTSMART
Saltwater runoff filtration system to protect groundwaters.

Shady Grove Middle School

2025 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AWARD:
FLOODWATER PREVENTION
Protecting vulnerable communities from devastating damage.

Parkland Middle School

2025 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AWARD:
LANTERN LOCK
Never get lost again!

Independent Team

2025 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AWARD:
Moldy Food Detection in MCPS
Helping the local school system stay safe and healthy.

Shady Grove Middle School

Thank You to Our Generous Sponsors

United Therapeutics A Public Benefit Corporation

Lido Civic Club: Celebrating Our Italian-American Heritage

USPA: US Performance Academy. An inspired school

Sandy Spring Bank A Division of Atlantic Union Bank

Thank you to all of our exhibitors:

QUANTUM COMPUTING & AUGMENTED REALITY

✩ IBM ✩ Qolour ✩ Reframe ✩

✩ University of Maryland Institute for Health Computing ✩

DRONES & ROBOTICS

✩ Walt Whitman HS Robotics Club ✩ Boeing ✩ REC Foundation + NASA ✩

✩ Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Unit ✩ MCPD Air Support Unit ✩

MAKING & MANUFACTURING

✩ American University Design & Build Lab ✩ Accenture ✩

✩ United States Patent & Trademark Office ✩ Xometry ✩

✩ Invent the Future Student Showcase ✩

✩ University of Maryland Makerspace Initiative + Terrapin Works ✩

SUSTAINABLE FUTURES

✩ Bethesda Green ✩ JustIcedTea ✩

✩ Pepco ✩ WSSC Water ✩

✩ Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection ✩

THE ART OF STEM

✩ Chibitronics ✩ Cloudforce ✩

✩ Glenstone Museum ✩

✩ Inner Arbor Trust, Inc. ✩

✩ The Swaliga Foundation ✩

21ST-CENTURY EDUCATION

✩ B-360 ✩ Barometer XR + GameGenius ✩

✩ Howard University Youth STEM Achievers ✩ KID’s Maker Girls ✩

✩ KID + TedCo: Teach for the Future ✩ LINGO Solutions, Inc. ✩ Montgomery College ✩

✩ Smithsonian Institution Spark!Lab ✩ U.S. Performance Academy ✩

PLUS: Live Music, Tech Demos, & Inventor Talks!

Invent the Future Awards Ceremony | 2 – 3 PM

What Is the Invent the Future Challenge?

Invent the Future is one of the DC Metro region’s largest maker challenges: KID Museum’s uniquely standards-aligned curriculum integrates science, technology, engineering, and design into an experience students will never forget.

Through the process of designing their own inventions, students learn to innovate, solve problems, gain confidence, and work with others — all crucial skills for future success.

BRING ITF TO YOUR SCHOOL

June 1, 2025 at KID Museum Bethesda Metro Center

Thank you for joining us!

CONGRATULATIONS, WINNERS!

Thank You to Our Generous Sponsors

Thank you to all of our exhibitors:

QUANTUM COMPUTING & AUGMENTED REALITY

DRONES & ROBOTICS

MAKING & MANUFACTURING

SUSTAINABLE FUTURES

THE ART OF STEM

21ST-CENTURY EDUCATION

PLUS: Live Music, Tech Demos, & Inventor Talks!

What Is the Invent the Future Challenge?

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