Patent your Passion Project

Ideate, build, and apply to patent a passion project. In teams of 3-4, students collaborate on intensive projects guided by mentors with deep expertise in creating unique intellectual property. This online program is led by instructors from top universities, including Stanford, and professionals with experience at leading companies such as Meta, Google, Nuro, and NVIDIA.

Nova is the only provider of patentable passion projects for driven high school innovators

Nova connects students with top-tier mentors from the world’s leading universities. These mentors guide students in developing patentable products and gaining advanced technical skills. At the end of the program, students will have developed a mobile or web application featuring unique intellectual property, for which they will have applied for a patent.

Why build a complex project while in high school?

Stand out on your college applications with a complex project and "patent pending"

Showcase your intellectual curiosity, dedication to academics, and ability to engage with complex topics, all with the goal of making a meaningful impact on the world. As you prepare for college, admissions officers want to see what drives you and how you will use that to change the world.

Work with computer science and mechanical engineering experts

Learn how to innovate, from ideation to refinement, all the way to patenting. This process equips you with a structured approach, setting you up to confidently build and create more in the future.

Build something impressive in an area you care about

Explore subjects you're passionate about in greater depth than traditional coursework offers. From the intricacies of space law to diving into cutting-edge GenAI applications, Nova allows you to push the boundaries of your learning and investigate emerging fields.

Learn advanced skillsets and innovative thinking

From NLP to biotechnology, students acquire knowledge that can be applied to future internships and careers. This experience has also empowered students to take advanced classes, giving them a valuable head start on both academic and professional opportunities.

By the numbers

500+

Nova students

$70K+

Given in financial aid

9,000+

Mentoring hours

200+

Nova Mentors

How the Nova Patent works

Build a complex project in an area you care about

Whether it's AI, healthcare, sustainability, or product design, you'll gain hands-on experience, refine your skills, and create something with tangible impact and real-world applications.

Work in groups of 3-4 motivated students

We combine talented students with diverse skills to tackle real-world challenges. Through brainstorming, prototyping, and iteration, they develop innovative solutions with expert support.

Option to design software or hardware

Depending on your interests and project goals, you can build a mobile app, AI tool, website, or physical device, gaining hands-on experience in transforming ideas into reality.
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Chose between five cohort options per year

We offer flexible cohort options in Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer, allowing you to join at a time that best aligns with your schedule and project goals.
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Taught by former Stanford instructors with Master's and PhDs

Stanford instructors have successfully lead 80+ mobile apps and projects from ideation to deployment. They've also won everything from NASA project grants to international design competitions.

Beyond that, our mentors have experience at leading institutions and companies

We value more than just impressive work experience in our mentors—teaching expertise is essential. All our mentors have taught mobile app development or product design at Stanford, and many bring additional experience from top-tier technology companies, equipping them to guide students in creating truly impressive projects.

You have two Nova Patent options

If you're a high school student eager to build a mobile app in your passion area—from healthcare to law—and want a team and mentor to help accelerate the process and create the most intellectually complex version of your vision, Nova is here to guide you

Based on a Stanford Class

Adapted from Stanford's "ME 216A: Advanced Product Design," this program is led by instructors with an MS or PhD in Computer Science from Stanford, offering a unique opportunity to experience a top college-level class.

14 sessions, 28 hours

Participate in weekly or bi-weekly two-hour sessions with a small cohort of 3-4 like-minded students, gaining practical experience in product development from innovation to launch.

Explore Any Topic

From healthcare to law, collaborate with your group and mentor to tackle real-world problems in topics and communities you care about, creating solutions that people will use.

"Patent Pending" Status

Work with a patent writing expert to draft and submit your application, gaining valuable experience in the process of creating and protecting novel intellectual property.

Based on a Stanford Class

Adapted from Stanford's "ME 216A: Advanced Product Design," this program is led by instructors with an MS or PhD in Engineering from Stanford, offering a unique opportunity to experience a top college-level class.

14 sessions, 28 hours

Participate in weekly or bi-weekly two-hour sessions with a small cohort of 3-4 like-minded students, gaining practical experience in product development from innovation to launch.

Explore Any Topic

From healthcare to law, collaborate with your group and mentor to tackle real-world problems in topics and communities you care about, creating solutions that people will use.

"Patent Pending" Status

Work with a patent writing expert to draft and submit your application, gaining valuable experience in the process of creating and protecting novel intellectual property.

What projects could you build?

Students have conducted exceptional research across diverse topics - spanning Engineering, Medicine, Business, and Social Sciences & Humanities.

Explore Other Previous Projects

Personalized AI Tutor for Underserved Students

An AI-driven tutoring app that provides personalized learning support for students, especially in underserved communities. It uses NLP to break down complex subjects, offer step-by-step explanations, and create customized study plans based on student performance. The app includes speech-to-text and text-to-speech features for accessibility and a progress dashboard to track learning milestones. Students can also connect with volunteer mentors and peers for collaborative learning.

Symptom Tracker & Wellness Guide for Health Deserts

This tool enables individuals in healthcare deserts to monitor symptoms, receive AI-driven wellness advice, and assess when medical attention is needed. Using NLP and machine learning, it analyzes symptom patterns and offers personalized health guidance. With localized health resources, telehealth links, and emergency alerts, it provides essential support to underserved communities.

AI-Powered Environmental Impact Analyzer

Encourages users to make eco-friendly choices by scanning product barcodes to analyze carbon footprint, recyclability, and ethical sourcing. Using AI and machine learning, it suggests sustainable product alternatives, tracks carbon emissions, and provides real-time sustainability tips. Users can scan receipts and bills to monitor consumption patterns, while a gamified leaderboard rewards sustainable actions. The app promotes environmental awareness through personalized challenges to reduce waste and emissions.

Legal Document Analyzer for Small Businesses

Helps small businesses quickly analyze contracts and legal documents by identifying risks, inconsistencies, and missing clauses. Using AI and NLP, it simplifies complex legal terms, highlights unfavorable clauses, and ensures compliance with common regulations like GDPR and HIPAA. For example, it can review NDAs, partnership agreements, and vendor contracts, flagging ambiguous terms or hidden liabilities.

Working in teams accelerates your project 3-4X

Imagine yourself multiplied by three or four. The amount you can accomplish in a highly motivated team is incredible. The Stanford curriculum that the Nova Patent is based on also emphasizes the power of collaboration—building something exceptional this quickly requires strong teamwork.

The Nova Patent Experience

Whether you're building software or hardware, the process follows four key steps:

What will your Nova Patent experience look like?

Nova Patent Program:

Results in a novel innovation (a mobile application or physical product) that makes a positive impact on the world and achieves "patent pending" status.

Build a mobile application (Nova Patent: Software) or physical product (Nova Patent: Hardware)

Achieves "patent pending" status

Select from a curated list of patentable projects

14 small 2-hour group classes

Maximum of 4 students to 1 mentor

3 sessions with a patent writing expert to support application writing and submission

2 - 4 months long depending on cohort

Five cohort start dates every year

We have five program start dates to provide students with the ability to join when they have the capacity to participate: Spring, Summer I, Summer II, Fall, Winter.

‍No programming or computer science experience needed. We simply ask for a genuine interest in solving user problems, dedication, and the ability to work in teams.

Hear from our students

All the hands-on projects made learning computer science and AI fun and exciting

Nova AI Fundamentals

Texas, USA

I’ve always loved problem-solving, and AI opened up a whole new way to approach challenges.

Nova Research

Texas, USA

My mentor at Nova Research was more than just a guide—they were a true collaborator. Their expertise and encouragement pushed me to think deeper, work smarter, and grow as a researcher.

Nova Research

New Jersey, USA

AI is changing the world, and Nova helped me understand how I can be part of that change. Now, I want to explore AI in environmental science!

Nova AI Fundamentals

New York, USA

Learning AI at Nova helped me see connections to fields I never expected—like environmental science, policy, and social impact.

Nova AI Fundamentals

Washington, USA

I'm glad I did something productive over break! I also liked my cohort

Nova AI Fundamentals

Arizona, USA

I never imagined I’d be working on an app that people might actually want and even pay for as a student. Thanks to my team and mentor, I learned how to refine my ideas and transform them into something truly impactful

Nova Patent

Washington, USA

We learned really cool things - from coding to GenAI. I wanted to learn about AI do this was a great experience.

Nova AI Fundamentals

California, USA

Maya was amazing - she knew a lot about AI and convinced me that electrical engineering was the path I wanted to explore next!

Nova AI Fundamentals

California, USA

The mentorship at Nova Research is unmatched. My mentor took the time to challenge my ideas, refine my methodology, and help me develop as both a thinker and a scientist.

Nova Research

Arizona, USA

I thought I needed a strong programming background to understand AI, but Nova’s structured approach made it easy to learn, no matter my starting point.

Nova AI Fundamentals

Washington, USA

Despite not having a programming background, Nova Patent provided enough instruction, support, and an incredible team to help me succeed. I loved working on the app design and I felt that I was truly contributing to something meaningful.

Nova Patent

New York, USA

Learning AI at Nova helped me see how it connects with my passion for healthcare. I now understand how AI can be used for medical diagnostics and research.

Nova AI Fundamentals

Illinois, USA

My mentor went above and beyond, providing personalized feedback, thoughtful discussions, and invaluable career advice. Their passion for research was contagious.

Nova Research

Rhode Island, USA

I really liked it - I learned so much! I'm excited to do research next

Nova AI Fundamentals

Texas, USA

I used to think AI was just for engineers, but Nova showed me how AI intersects with business, law, and even social justice.

Nova AI Fundamentals

New York, USA

Through Nova Research, I learned how to design experiments and interpret results in ways that actually matter. I’m proud of the skills I’ve developed to tackle real-world challenges.

Nova AI Fundamentals

Phoenix, USA

Other Nova testimonials

Explore Our Reviews

Student Stories and Outcomes

We regularly survey our alumni to track their progress and milestones. In our latest survey of 62 Nova alumni, we found that they have gone on to achieve remarkable accomplishments, including: