Who is behind Girls Invent?
Girls Invent was created by Dr Mark Glazebrook Mark is an innovator, inventor and business leader with a unique track record for social innovation whilst BP’s Head of Social Responsibility and has lectured at Deakin University. He excels in embracing the uncommon and finding opportunity where others see obstacles. He has successfully commercialised his own products and created Girls Invent after a discussion with his teenage daughter Taya who asked why only men are inventors.
Mark’s vision for Girls Invent is to expand its reach so that in future the next big breakthroughs and inventions come from women who have the self-belief to back their ideas and resilience to keep going when things get tough.
Girls Invent is now expanding its reach through a network of accredited trainers who live locally to schools and be available for face to face to support.
What is the purpose of the Girls Invent Program?
Girls Invent has one simple purpose to create an unshakable belief amongst girls that they can become innovators and create inventions or products if they so choose. Girls Invent is also different in that it draws on the extensive commercial and innovation expertise of its facilitators to bring a level of practical reality and market insight about how to take an idea and get it to market as well as help students decide when to discontinue with an idea and move on to their next one.
What is the philosophy behind Girls Invent?
Girls Invent is based on the premise that despite years of resources and efforts by government, educators and businesses, too few girls are choosing to become innovators or even see it as a career option for them.
Girls Invent was created to help counter the strong messages portrayed in the media and peer groups that hold girls back from realising on their full potential and that they can only choose certain careers because they are girls…crazy stuff hey.
As in any pursuit, self-belief that you can do something is sometimes more powerful than the technical skills. This is where Girls Invent comes in. Believe that you can do something and worry about the detail later.
What is unique about Girls Invent?
Girls Invent is the only program to incorporate amazing inventions created by women as the basis to inspire and motivate young women to believe they too can become innovators.
How does it work?
The core program is comprehensive series of 6 x two hour workshop modules. Girls are supported to ideate and then work through feasibility, market research, IP, resourcing and explore routes to market and pitching their idea to attract investment and support.