A great opportunity for a sub-set of the "base of the pyramid" community - the inventors and innovators - just came across my desk, and I wanted to let folks know.

That's right, the annual Lemelson-MIT awards are taking nominations.  There are three awards - $500K, $100K and $30K.  More details:

The Lemelson-MIT Awards honor both established and rising inventors for their ingenuity, creativity and contribution to invention and innovation. The awards recognize the profound impact that inventors can have on economic and social well-being.

The awards include the following:

• The $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize honors outstanding mid-career inventors dedicated to improving our world through technological invention and innovation.
• The $100,000 Lemelson-MIT Award for Sustainability recognizes and supports inventors working to safeguard the well-being of our communities and planet.
• The $30,000 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize honors promising young inventors studying at MIT.

The Lemelson-MIT Program funds three additional student prizes to recognize students who demonstrate remarkable inventiveness: $30,000 Lemelson-Rensselaer Student Prize at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, $30,000 Lemelson-Illinois Student Prize at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and $30,000 Lemelson-Caltech Student Prize at the California Institute of Technology. Each student prize is administered by its respective school.

Bestowed annually, the Lemelson-MIT Awards were first presented in 1995. They are part of a comprehensive program administered by the Lemelson-MIT Program and established by the Lemelson Foundation to raise the stature of inventors and to inspire invention among young people. Find out about previous recipients at the Winners Circle.