From Young Inventor to Global Advocate: Anneliese Gegenheimer on the Power of Staying Connected

For Anneliese Gegenheimer, invention education is more than an academic exercise or extracurricular — it’s a foundational mindset that’s shaped the trajectory of her life. From her very first invention in kindergarten to founding the Chicago Student Invention Convention years later, Anneliese embodies the full-circle potential of the invention convention experience. Now, as a proud alumnus, she’s cheering on Invention Convention Worldwide’s growing alumni program, encouraging others to stay connected, give back and pay it forward.

Anneliese’s journey began in Columbus, Ohio, where she participated in the Ohio Invention Convention as a child. Her early inventions included a better-smelling diaper pail — designed to solve the “smelly baby sister problem” — and a backpack-binder hybrid to help students carry fewer items. While the products were playful, the process was profound. “Invention Convention was one of my first exposures to talking to adults I didn’t know,” she said. “It taught me to advocate for myself and my ideas, which is a skill I still use today.”

That early exposure to problem-solving, creativity and presentation ignited a passion that would follow her across continents. During college, Anneliese launched informal invention programming in Tanzania and China, working with elementary-age students to help them explore their own ideas. “I wanted kids everywhere to have that same spark I experienced,” she said.

After graduation, she moved to Chicago to work at IBM and found herself looking for ways to engage with youth in her community. While Chicago had a thriving startup and innovation ecosystem, she noticed a gap: There were few invention opportunities for elementary and middle school students. Drawing from her own experiences and research, she saw a chance to fill that gap, and ran with it.

“I cold-called the External Partnerships Office at Chicago Public Schools with this idea,” she recalled. “I got lucky — someone picked up, and they were open to exploring it with me.” That phone call led to the launch of the Chicago Student Invention Convention, which began as a small pilot in a few schools. Anneliese was intentional about starting in neighborhoods that reflected Chicago’s racial and socioeconomic diversity. “I wanted it to be accessible to all students, no matter their background,” she said.

The program grew steadily, gaining traction across the city. After five years of hands-on leadership, Anneliese stepped back to pursue graduate school. Unsure of what would happen to the program, she reached out to one of the program’s sponsors, Chicago Innovation, to explore possible options for transferring the initiative. To her surprise and delight, they offered to take the program on themselves — and gave it a new, lasting home. “It’s been amazing to see it continue and evolve, now as the statewide Illinois Student Invention Convention,” she said.

Even as her career has taken her into international development and the energy sector, Anneliese continues to stay involved. She regularly judges student invention competitions and keeps an eye on programs in both Ohio and Illinois. So when she learned that Invention Convention Worldwide was launching an alumni program, her reaction was instant: “How can I get involved?”

For Anneliese, the value of an alumni network is both personal and communal. “Being able to give back — to judge, mentor, or even just share your story — feels good,” she said. “And it’s meaningful for students to see someone who’s been through what they’re doing now. It shows them what’s possible.” She envisions a range of ways for alumni to participate, from donating supplies or funds to speaking at events or serving as one-on-one mentors. “There are so many different pathways to stay connected.”

She also believes deeply in the potential of the alumni program to foster connections between alumni themselves. Whether they’re 18 or 48, participants in Invention Convention have a shared language and a unique experience that sets them apart. “It’s a special community,” she said. “When you’ve been an inventor, you’ve developed resilience and creative thinking. There’s real value in being able to network with others who share that.”

Anneliese sees invention education as a long-term investment in young people’s growth and identity. “It’s not just about creating something,” she explained. “It’s about learning to take feedback, to iterate and to keep improving. That growth mindset — knowing you’re never done, and that challenges are opportunities — is something I carry with me every day.”

She’s seen the model work in a wide range of environments, from U.S. classrooms to schools in emerging markets. “In Tanzania, the students built amazing inventions using only recycled materials,” she said. “They tested their prototypes and presented their ideas just like the student inventor experience in the U.S., proving that invention education works everywhere. It’s adaptable, and it’s powerful.”

As a new mother, Anneliese is already thinking about how invention education might shape her daughter’s future. “She’s only two,” she laughed, “but I’d love for her to participate in a program like this someday. I feel like I have the tools now to help her develop that same kind of creativity and problem-solving.”

Looking ahead, Anneliese hopes the alumni program continues to expand, offering new ways for past participants to connect, share and inspire. “We remember the projects,” she said. “We remember the experiences that challenged us and made us think differently. Invention Convention was one of those for me — and I know it is for so many others. Staying connected means keeping that spirit alive.