Why IML
MISSION · FAQWhy IML
A place where creative engineers and tinkerers design and solve real engineering challenges together, the kind of big project that's genuinely hard for one person to take on alone.
A lot of useful things never get built because they don't make financial sense to a capital investor.
That doesn't mean they're not worth doing, it just means nobody's funding them the normal way. IML exists for that gap, projects that are fun, useful, and worth building, even if they were never going to be profitable.
| Terms | Phase | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| PAID | Production drawings | Once a design is ready to move toward a build, turning it into real working drawings is paid work. Teams can bid, and it can be split across more than one team to go faster and pay more people. |
| PAID | Build phase | Building the physical prototype is also paid work, funded the same way, donations and sponsorships raised by IML. |
| UNPAID | Design phase | Open to everyone, done on your own time. Design winners earn prizes funded by donations and sponsors, plus recognition and bragging rights. |
| OPEN | Content | The whole process gets documented and turned into content, for the designers involved and for anyone following along. |
| OPEN | Points | Winning designs earn points. If a design is ever monetized down the line, points could convert into stock, money, or royalties, not a promise. Treat points as bragging rights first. |
Sign up, as an individual or as a team.
Design on your own time, with whatever tools and process you want.
Upload your submission in the required format before the deadline.
Submissions go public the moment the deadline hits, nothing is hidden.
Designs get judged by a mix of AI, recruited experts, and the public.
Comments and discussion happen right on the site, publicly, on every submission.
What is an IML Challenge?
A specific engineering problem inside a bigger project (like one component of the Hydrowheel) that's open for anyone to design a solution to.
Who can join?
Anyone. You don't need credentials, just a real willingness to work through a hard engineering problem with other people.
Do I need to already have an idea?
No. Some people show up with a concept already, others just want to improve or build on someone else's. Both are welcome.
Who sees my design?
Everyone, the moment the submission deadline passes. Nothing is private or exclusive, this is open source by design.
Do I get paid for my design?
Not for the design itself, that phase is speculative. You get paid once a design moves into production drawings or the physical build, both funded by donations and sponsorships.
What happens to a design that wins?
It moves toward production drawings, which teams can bid on as paid work, then toward an actual physical build, also paid.
Who judges the designs?
A mix of AI, recruited experts in the relevant field, and the general public.
What do points actually get me?
Recognition and bragging rights, guaranteed. If a design is ever monetized in future, points could convert into stock, money, or royalties, but that outcome isn't guaranteed and shouldn't be counted on.
Is this really open source?
Yes. Every design can be built on, reused, and improved by anyone. Nobody owns exclusive rights to a design.