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Young Inventor Challenge
Rules and Regulations

By submitting an entry to the Young Inventor Challenge (YIC), participants and their parents/guardians/teachers agree to abide by the following rules and requirements.
 

 

YOUNG INVENTOR CHALLENGE

 

Eligibility

 

  • ​Young Inventor Challenge participants must be ages 6 – 18 years old as of April 15, 2020, and enrolled in some form of elementary or secondary education (public, private, charter, or home school).

  • Participants can invent and enter the challenge on their own or with a team partner that meets the eligibility requirements. There is a maximum of two participants per team, no exceptions.

  • All entries must be the original idea, development and work product of the participant/team, and must not have previously been made available to the public as a commercial product.

  • Use of outside services for prototype production assistance (ie 3D printing, playing card printing, etc) is permitted, but students must disclose anything that is not their personal work in their entry.

     

Judging & Awarding of Prizes

 

  • ​All judging decisions are final. Judging will be done online between June 15, 2020 and June 30, 2020.

  • Winners will be contacted and announced online on July 15th, 2020.

  • Teams will be judged in the same way as individuals.

     

Invention and Prototype Requirements

 

  • Challenge entries consist of only one prototype / invention per participant / team.

  • All challenge entries must consist of a working prototype of the toy/game invention

  • Show Management reserves the right to disqualify any prototype deemed threatening, or otherwise inappropriate in its judgment, and to prohibit challenge participation of the owners of said prototype.

     

Other

  • ​All participants and their parents/guardians/teachers and families are expected to conduct themselves responsibly and with respect for others during the challenge. 

  • Show Management reserves the right to disqualify from the challenge anyone whose conduct is deemed disruptive, insensitive, inappropriate, or threatening.

     

Liability/Permissions

THE FOLLOWING IS TO BE READ AND SIGNED BY THE STUDENT’S PARENT / GUARDIAN:

Permission is given for me/my child to enter the Young Inventor’s Spring Challenge (hereafter YISC). I understand that the material used in the project/prototype is my/my child’s responsibility. 

Fair Management reserves the right to disqualify anyone from the competition who may violate its rules of conduct.
 
I grant permission for my child to be photographed, audio/video recorded, interviewed by the YIC, partners, news media or others for event-related stories. I grant permission for the YIC to use my child's pitch video on their website and to share with media outlets for potential PR opportunities.  

 

I understand that my/my child’s project/prototype will be shown to judges/mentors who work in the toy industry.  I agree that no contract, express or implied, is formed by virtue of showing my/my child’s project/prototype to judges/mentors.  

 

I hereby waive all present and future claims, actions, and remedies that relate to my/my child’s project/prototype (both damages and equitable relief) against the judges/mentors who participate in the YIC, their employers, and any corporate affiliates of their employers, except for claims and actions for violations of U.S. patent or copyright laws.  I acknowledge that the judges/mentors who participate in the YIC, including their employers, and any corporate affiliates of their employers, are express, intended third party beneficiaries of this agreement.

I have read the above statement and agree; I will follow the rules of this fair.

FALL YOUNG INVENTOR CHALLENGE


Eligibility

  • Young Inventor Challenge participants must be ages 6 – 18 years old as of November 21, 2020, and enrolled in some form of elementary or secondary education (public, private, charter, or home school).

  • Participants can invent and enter the challenge on their own or with a team partner that meets the eligibility requirements. There is a maximum of two participants per team, no exceptions.

  • All entries must be the original idea, development and work product of the participant/team, and must not have previously been made available to the public as a commercial product.

  • Use of outside services for prototype production assistance (ie 3D printing, playing card printing, etc) is permitted, but students must disclose anything that is not their personal work in their entry.


 

Judging & Awarding of Prizes

  • All judging decisions are final. Judging will be done online between November 7, 2020 and November 20, 2020, as well as in person on November 21, 2020 in presentation circles, from 10:15am-11:45am. Students will meet in small groups with judges to pitch their ideas and take questions. Parents will leave the judging area during this time.  

  • Winners will be announced and prizes awarded at 2:30pm on Saturday, November 21, 2020 on the stage in Festival Hall A.

  • Teams will be judged in the same way as individuals.

  • Winners do not need to be present to win. However, Chicago Toy and Game Fair is not able to ship prizes. They must be picked up in person, or winners can arrange for shipping at their expense. 

 

Invention and Prototype Requirements

  • Challenge entries consist of only one prototype / invention per participant / team.

  • All challenge entries must consist of a working prototype of the toy/game invention

  • Electrical power will not be available. Batteries may be used.

  • All entries need to fit on a 72” wide x 24” deep space on a tabletop, including poster display.

  • No walls or curtains will be available for hanging/posting of materials. (see our Design Guide for details).

  • Logbooks showing your design process (see our Design Guide for details), or journals must be displayed at the competition along with poster boards and prototypes. Teams only need to submit one logbook for their project. 

  • Entries may not contain hazardous materials such as explosive, combustible, or incendiary materials, blades or dangerous projectiles.

  • Show Management reserves the right to reject any prototype deemed hazardous, threatening, or otherwise inappropriate in its judgment, and to prohibit challenge participation of the owners of said prototype.

Other

  • Show Management will not be responsible for the supervision of minors at any time.

  • All participants and their parents/guardians/teachers and families are expected to conduct themselves responsibly and with respect for others during the challenge. 

  • Show Management reserves the right to disqualify from the challenge and to permanently remove from the facility/property, anyone whose conduct is deemed unsafe, disruptive, insensitive, inappropriate, or threatening.

  • All children under the age of 18 years must be accompanied by a parent/guardian/teacher when participating in the Challenge at Navy Pier.

  • There will be no electrical power! You must provide battery power for anything electrical.

 

Liability/Permissions

 

When registering for the Young Inventor Challenge, the following statement will be electronically signed during the registration process by the student's parent or guardian. Participation in the event means that the following has been agreed to:

Permission is given for me/my child to exhibit at the Young Inventor’s Challenge (hereafter YIC). I understand that the material used in the project/prototype is my/my child’s responsibility.  I understand that I am responsible for the supervision of the registered minor during the time they are present at the Chicago Toy & Game Fair. 

Young Inventor Challenge participants and their parents/guardians/teachers shall protect, save and hold the Chicago Toy & Game Group, Chicago Toy & Game Fair, Game Geste and its officers, directors, employees and agents; Navy Pier, and all agents and employees thereof; Show Management and its officers, directors, employees and agents (hereinafter collectively called "Indemnities") forever harmless from any damages or charges imposed for violations of any law or ordinance, whether occasioned by the negligence of the participants and their parents/guardians/teachers or those holding under them. Further, (YIC) participants and their parents/guardians/teachers shall at all times protect, indemnify, save and hold harmless the Indemnities against and from any and all losses, costs, damages, liability or expenses (including attorney's fees) arising from or out of or by reason of any accident or bodily injury or other occurrences to any property, person or persons, including the participant and their parents/guardians/teachers, which arise from or out of or by reason of said participant's challenge participation, occupancy, and use of the facilities, or any part thereof. All liabilities, including medical, shall be borne by participant and their parents/guardians/teachers. 
 
I grant permission for my child to be photographed, audio/video recorded, interviewed by the YIC, partners, news media or others for event-related stories. I/my child understand that appropriate behavior is required at the YIC and that distraction of others or any form of harassment or vandalism will not be tolerated and may lead to disqualification from the competition.

I grant permission for the YIC to use my child's pitch video on their website and to share with media outlets for potential PR opportunities.  
 

I understand that my/my child’s project/prototype will be shown to judges/mentors who work in the toy industry. I agree that no contract, express or implied, is formed by virtue of showing my/my child’s project/prototype to judges/mentors. I hereby waive all present and future claims, actions, and remedies that relate to my/my child’s project/prototype (both damages and equitable relief) against the judges/mentors who participate in the YIC, their employers, and any corporate affiliates of their employers, except for claims and actions for violations of U.S. patent or copyright laws. I acknowledge that the judges/mentors who participate in the YIC, including their employers, and any corporate affiliates of their employers, are express, intended third party beneficiaries of this agreement.

 

Fair Management reserves the right to permanently remove anyone from the facility who may violate its rules of safety and conduct.

I have read the above statement and agree; I will follow the rules of this fair.

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