TAMPA (BLOOM) – — Girish Hari, a Tampa native and current Georgia Institute of Technology student, earned the Undergraduate First-Place Award at the 2023 Collegiate Inventors Competition, according to an announcement by the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

Held annually, the competition seeks to identify and honor the nation’s brightest young innovators. This year, the event showcased student inventions ranging from cerebral aneurysm tests to biosensors for identifying marine pathogens.

Hari, along with team members Netra Gandhi, Rhea Prem, and Ethan Damiani, developed FADpad, an accessible, at-home diagnostic tool for women’s health. Targeting individuals with limited healthcare access, FADpad aims to provide a comfortable and private way to collect menstrual blood for screening. The invention has the potential to reduce health disparities and prevent early deaths from cervical cancer among people who menstruate.

“The Collegiate Inventors Competition showcases the next generation of game changers — young inventors who demonstrate an innovative mindset that empowers them to solve the world’s greatest challenges,” said National Inventors Hall of Fame CEO Michael Oister.

The competition featured 10 finalist teams, comprising 22 students from eight colleges and universities across the United States. The teams presented their inventions to a panel of judges consisting of National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees and United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) officials.

In addition to a $10,000 cash prize, the winning teams also received a USPTO Patent Acceleration Certificate, allowing for expedited patent processing. The competition, established in 1990, is sponsored by the USPTO, Arrow Electronics, and Honda.

FADpad joins a list of ground-breaking inventions, positioning Hari and his team at the forefront of medical innovation. The win also solidifies Tampa’s growing reputation as a hub for young talent and technological ingenuity.