2021 Cade Prize Dates

Application cycle: June 1st through August 2nd

• $55 non-refundable application fee is required to begin your application
• The Cade Prize does not take equity in your idea if you win.

Announcement of 21 Fibonacci Finalists: August 16th

Fibonacci Finalist Forum: September 15th

Cade Prize Ceremony: September 29th

For more information, contact cadeprize@cademuseum.org with questions or comments

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About the Cade Prize

Since 2010, the Cade Prize has celebrated innovation by identifying, recognizing, and celebrating Florida-based inventors and entrepreneurs, who, through an innovative invention, demonstrate a creative approach to addressing problems in their field of expertise. As one of the largest cash prize competitions for innovation in Florida, the Cade Prize has drawn hundreds of creative thinkers from diverse sectors, from Pensacola to Miami, who enter cutting-edge inventions with real market potential.  In 2021, the Cade Prize will award $50,000 in seed-capital prizes.

In 2020, the Cade Prize made several important enhancements that continue in 2021:

Geography: The Cade Prize has expanded beyond Florida to Alabama and Georgia, enabling more inventors and research universities to highlight their cutting-edge inventions.

Finalists & Prizes: The number of Fibonacci Finalists (16 to 21) and cash Prizes have been increased to generate awareness of more essential innovations.

Leading Research Universities: The Cade Prize will be partnering with even more high-level research institutions across Florida, Alabama, and Georgia.

Eligibility: R1 research universities from Alabama, Florida, and Georgia (13 total) are each eligible to nominate one entry for an automatic slot, as one of the 21 Fibonacci Finalists. R2 universities or other institutions without an automatic slot will automatically advance to become a finalist if they produced an entry in the previous year that made it to the final round. Research university nominations must be submitted to Cade Prize by July 15, 2021 for round 1 judging.

Other Alabama, Florida and Georgia inventors and entrepreneurs completed for remaining Fibonacci Finalist slots. To be eligible, individuals or companies must have no more than $500,000 in outside investment {funding from investors received in exchange for stock, convertible note, or other similar instrument issued by the company (excluding grants, personal funds, in-kind support, competition prizes, or loans from friends and family).​

Entry Categories: The Cade Prize call for applications included designated Cade Prize entry categories, to address key technology clusters and critical issues impacting the southeast: Agriculture/Environmental, Health Care/Bio, IT/Tech, Energy, plus a Wild Card category.

The Cade Prize entry period will opened on June 1, 2021, and applications are accepted through August 2, 2021. Research university nominees are submitted to Cade Prize by July 15. Round 1 judging, to determine the 21 Fibonacci Finalists, is conducted on August 11. On September 29, the Cade Museum will host final judging to determine the Cade Prize winners and will host a Cade Prize Awards Ceremony.
 
The Cade Prize awards five prizes totaling $50,000 - one $21,000 First Prize, $13,000 Second Prize, $8,000 Third Prize, $5,000 Fourth Prize, and $3,000 Fifth Prize.

​Click here to read the 2020 Cade Prize announcement press release.

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The Cade Prize, and the Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention, are the legacy of Dr. Robert Cade, best known as the leader of the research team that invented Gatorade. 

Special thanks to:

Scott Mackenzie
our Cade Prize Awards Ceremony Chair 

Cade Prize Presenting Media Sponsor
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​and added Sponsors
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Gallery of Past Awards Ceremonies