The InVenture Prize highlights the top young innovators from across the State of Georgia

A 3D-printed prosthetic leg.

A smart bracelet language translator.

An at-home dog washing machine.

Solar backpacks.

Sports injury prevention gear.

A chicken poop remover platform.

A range of business ideas like these were on display in Georgia Tech's Exhibition Hall this week with the The InVenture Prize State Finals.

And the founders and inventors? All students who don't even have a high school diploma yet.

The competition, now a highlight of the State of Georgia's innovation calendar, brought together elementary, middle, and high school students from 35 counties. 65 teams brought their inventions and projects to Georgia Tech campus, all competing for industry-specific awards and the chance to receive provisional patent help.

Hypepotamus walked around the Exhibition Hall as the judges were digging into the team's pitches and poster presentations. During that time, it was impossible not to feel the excitement when speaking to students. Some have been working on their ideas since last August, and many have plans to keep working on their idea even after the competition wraps up.

"I see tomorrow's leaders and problem solvers," Danyelle Larkin, the program director behind the InVenture Prize, told Hypepotamus.

InVenture Prize: College Edition

In the evening, the focus shifted to collegiate innovators. The finalists for the InVenture Prize, nicknamed the "American Idol for Nerds," took to the theater stage on Georgia Tech's campus to compete for a top prize of $20,000.

That top prize went to Hearo, a platform enabling caregivers to conduct an at-home ear exam and capture physician-usable images to help identify ear infections...without a trip to the doctor’s office.

The team of Georgia Tech students include Ander DeOnaindia (computer engineering), Vasileios Kouloumentas (biomedical engineering), Luis Lujan (biomedical engineering), Agustin Munyau (biomedical engineering), Marilyn Pelayo-Montufar (computer science), and Luke Towery (mechanical engineering), who started working on the issue after seeing an opportunity to make a big change in healthcare.

Next up? The Hearo team will go through Create-X this summer.

Created in 2009 and organized by Georgia Tech faculty, the InVenture Prize competition brings together student innovators from all academic backgrounds across campus in an effort to foster creativity, invention, and entrepreneurship. The culminating event is a Shark Tank-style electrifying televised competition at Georgia Tech.