National Women Inventors Month

Categories:: Special Interest
Tags:: Appreciation Women
Where:: United States
Date change rule:: Every February
Holiday emoji:: 💡

National Women Inventors Month dedicates every February to celebrating the brilliant minds of female innovators worldwide. This month encourages us to recognize their historic and ongoing contributions to science, technology, and society. Explore the stories of these trailblazing women and inspire the next generation of inventors.

Deals
Platforms
Social
Hero
History
Timeline
Businesses
FAQs
Importance
Observe

Expected National Women Inventors Month Deals

Throughout National Women Inventors Month, expect to see various organizations and brands promoting educational initiatives and support for women in STEM. Organizations like the National Inventors Hall of Fame and the Society of Women Engineers often highlight mentorship programs and scholarships. Tech companies such as IBM and Google may feature employee spotlights or host innovation challenges. Retailers like Target and Amazon might showcase products invented by women or offer special discounts on educational toys and books. Universities and research institutions will likely host virtual panels and workshops. We will update this page with confirmed live programs and initiatives as February approaches.

Platform Guide for National Women Inventors Month

Tag National Today (linkedin.com/company/nationaltoday) and use #WomenInventorsMonth. Share profiles of inspiring female inventors and their impact.

X/Twitter

Mention @NatlToday and use #WomenInventorsMonth. Tweet facts about female inventors and host Q&A sessions with modern innovators.

Facebook

Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #WomenInventorsMonth. Share stories of historical and contemporary female inventors to spark community discussion.

National Women Inventors Month Hero

Stephanie Kwolek

Stephanie Kwolek (1923–2014) was an American chemist who invented Kevlar, a high-strength synthetic fiber. Working at DuPont in 1965, her discovery of liquid crystalline polymers led to a material five times stronger than steel by weight. Kevlar is used in bulletproof vests, aerospace components, and many other applications, saving countless lives and revolutionizing material science.

History of National Women Inventors Month

Women inventors have been saving our lives since before the 1700s. However, before then, women were not allowed to own property or apply for U.S. patents to copyright or trademark their work. Women often had to apply for patents using their husbands’ names, but that all changed in 1793 with Hannah Slater.

Slater was responsible for creating a new method of producing sewing thread from cotton. Taking a smoothly spun yarn made by her husband Samuel, Hannah and her sister used a hand spinning tool to spin it into a thread that turned out to be stronger than its previous substitute — linen. Slater applied for a patent within the same year, and it was issued in the name of Mrs. Samuel Slater.

Following shortly after was another weaving innovator called Mary Dixon. She was responsible for creating a new technique of weaving hats from straw with silk and thread. Following hat-making innovations of women like Betsy Metcalf, who started the American straw hat industry, Mary invented a cost-effective, reliable way of making work bonnets using silk and thread which led to her applying for a patent in 1809. She received her patent along with special recognition from First Lady Dolley Madison. Her original patent was sadly destroyed in a fire in 1836, a year before she passed away.

Over time, women have soared in science, technology, and several other fields, leading to a majority of inventions we still enjoy to date. Some innovations we owe to women today are the fire escape invented by Anna Connelly in 1887, the car heater invented by Margaret A. Wilcox in 1893, Monopoly invented by Elizabeth Magie in 1904, computer programming invented by Grace Hopper in 1944, laser cataract surgery invented by Patricia Bath in 1986, amongst many others.

National Women Inventors Month timeline

1790

A Patent For Inventions

The new Patent Act allows women to apply for patents in the U.S.

1882

No More Dying At Sea

Maria Beasley creates the life raft to cut down lives lost at sea.

1903

A Prize For Your Win

Marie Curie becomes the first woman to win a Nobel Prize for her research in radioactivity.

1965

Innovations Are Bulletproof

Chemist Stephanie Kwolek discovers Kevlar, which now has over 200 applications, including bulletproof material.

How Businesses Can Celebrate National Women Inventors Month

Local businesses can honor National Women Inventors Month by showcasing the contributions of female innovators. Retailers might feature products invented by women or host in-store displays highlighting their stories. Tech companies can organize internal events, inviting female engineers and scientists to share their work and inspire colleagues. Restaurants could create special menu items named after famous female inventors, incorporating a brief bio on the menu to educate diners.

National Women Inventors Month FAQs

When is National Women Inventors Month?

In 2027, National Women Inventors Month is observed from Monday, February 1 to Sunday, February 28. The entire month serves as a platform to highlight groundbreaking female innovators.

What are some famous inventions by women?

Beyond the well-known, women have also invented the disposable diaper (Marion Donovan), the square-bottom paper bag (Margaret E. Knight), and even early versions of solar heating (Dr. Maria Telkes). Their impact is truly widespread.

How many patents are held by women?

The share of patents with at least one woman inventor has been steadily rising, reaching around 21% in 2027 for new U.S. patents. This indicates a positive trend, though there is still a substantial gap to close in achieving gender parity in patenting.

Is National Women Inventors Month officially recognized?

Many states and local communities issue proclamations recognizing National Women Inventors Month, further solidifying its presence as a significant observance. It’s a grassroots movement that has gained considerable momentum and support.

How to Observe National Women Inventors Month

Read about it
If you aren’t already blown away by the number of things we now enjoy that were invented by women, read up on some more. National Women Inventors Month is all through February, and the inventions we discussed make up a small percentage of useful inventions made by women. Do some more research and discover all the shocking inventions made by women.
Start a project
Everyone is capable of being innovative and creating something new. Dig into your inner inventor and start a project this month. Don’t feel pressured if it doesn’t seem big enough, because some inventions like Kevlar were found by mistake, while others like Mary Dixon’s bonnets are more creative and less scientific.
Attend a fair
Within National Women Inventors Month, there are several fairs and conferences organized to boost the inclusion and innovations of women. Find the ones happening nearest to you, and pick a few days within the month to attend. You can learn something new, and also raise awareness by doing so.

5 Interesting Facts About Women-Made Inventions

The paper bag invention was almost stolen
A man was going to steal and patent the idea for paper bags from the original inventor, Margaret E. Knight.
Debt pushed the invention of the dishwasher
The inventor of the dishwasher, Josephine Cochrane, was forced to make the dishwasher work after her husband died and she was left in debt.
The life-raft creator was a serial inventor
Maria Beasley was an American inventor that made a fortune from a series of inventions before the life-raft.
Windshield wipers were not widely accepted
Mary Anderson invented windshield wipers, which were generally declined by manufacturers until Cadillac in 1996.
Chocolate chip cookies are also an invention
Ruth Graves Wakefield invented the chocolate chip cookie to offer her inn guests something new.

Why National Women Inventors Month is Important

It acknowledges the effort of women
National Women Inventors Month acknowledges the effort of women in industries that affect the world at large. Women play an important role in the inventions of so many innovations we now enjoy, and this month makes sure we pay our respects and appreciation to women inventors.
It paves the way
A month like this encourages other brilliant female minds to explore and go after their not-so-crazy ideas. National Women Inventors Month shows women what they are capable of, and what they can achieve once they let go of their fears and pursue their dreams, or in this case, their inventions.
It raises awareness
The majority of people today do not fully understand the effort and importance women play when it comes to innovations. A month like this raises awareness of such innovations, and also increases an understanding of the importance of women in any industry