THE Aspiring Inventors Competition, to celebrate the creative spirit of Australia during Floriade’s Invention Week, has been launched.

Floriade – in conjunction with ABC Radio National and The Australian Inventors Association – is inviting aspiring inventors to enter the competition.

The judging panel, which includes Fenella Kernebone, the host of Radio National’s “By Design”, and invention guru and innovation consultant John S. Jacob, will select 10 finalists whose ideas will be displayed in The InspirationHub during the third week of Floriade.

The winner of the Aspiring Inventors Competition will be announced at Floriade on Sunday, October 6 by science enthusiast Dr Karl Kruszelnicki.

Entrants have the chance to win $5000 in prize money to go towards bringing their invention to life, as well as a one-year membership and a free mentoring session with the Australian Inventors Association worth $5000.

Entrants aged under 18 will also have the chance to win the youth prize – a one-year membership to Questacon and $100 gift voucher for the Questacon shop.

Entries must be for an invention with a functional element that enhances the lives of Australians in some way, and can be submitted in the form of drawings, diagrams, models, photographs, video or journals.

The competition closes on Monday 2 September. More information at floriadeaustralia.com/invent.