A timely issue on the wall urges visitors to submit solutions. Visitors will create their own giant show. This gallery’s people stations are brimming with smart fun. Labs tell stories and invite minds-on audience participation. 100's of new creative ideas, inventions and innovations. Dr. Cade's lab show visitors about the invention of Gatorade. Vignettes show inventions that have transformed our culture.

The Cade Prize for Innovation

First annual competition to recognize Florida innovators

The Cade Museum Foundation will sponsor its first annual competition - beginning this year - to recognize and promote Florida innovators. The award will consist of a $50,000 cash prize, plus one year of in-kind support provided by the Gainesville Chamber of Commerce and access to the GainesvilleTechnology Enterprise Center (GTEC) and its programs. The competition is open to Florida-based innovators who are taking their first steps towards commercialization. Project summaries should demonstrate that the ideas are innovative, creative, interdisciplinary and commercializable and should demonstrate how the particular problem will be solved.

The long-term goal of the competition is to strengthen and develop the long-standing culture of innovation in Gainesville and Alachua County and to harness the tremendous job-creating potential of the brilliant ideas springing forth from this region every day. 

Requirements for Eligibility

1. Florida residency of at least one of the team members, and
2. Patent protection if applicable.

Call for Abstracts

Abstracts are due no later than 5:00 PM, March 31, 2010. Semifinalists will be notified by April 15, 2010 and final applications are due by 5:00 PM, May 15, 2010. Semifinalists will be chosen by May 31, 2010 and a winner will be announced by mid-June, 2010.

For information contact Dr. Monika Oli at 352-3817100 or or e-mail: moli@cademuseum.org

Visitors will create their own giant show.

Visitors will create their own giant show.

Labs tell stories and invite minds-on audience participation.

100's of new creative ideas, inventions and innovations.

Dr. Cade's lab show visitors about the invention of Gatorade.

Vignettes show inventions that have transformed our culture.

A timely issue on the wall urges visitors to submit solutions.

Galleries

Timeline

January 28 – Prize competition announced at Chamber of Commerce dinner and through PR the following day

March 31 - Submit a 500-word summary of the innovation.  Teams or individuals must be Florida-based.  

April 07 - Semi-finalist will be announced and contacted by e-mail.

About April 17th, 2010 - Semi-finalists participate in an optional commercialization workshop, location and time TBA.  The workshop is to help prepare entries using the “So What? Who cares? Why you?  Method (Wendy Kennedy.com)

May 15 -  Final applications (format provided) are due electronically by 5 pm.   

May 15 to May 31, 2010 - Distinguished panel of local judges will select the top 3 finalists, who will be notified by June 1. 

About June 19 - Finalists deliver a venture pitch in Gainesville to a panel of judges from outside the region. The final Cade Prize winner will be announced and awarded the same evening in Gainesville.    The prize- winning project will be awarded a cash prize of $50,000 and granted one year of free office space at the Gainesville Technology Enterprise Center (GTEC).   The team members will  be encouraged to develop their project in Gainesville