Although men and women are nearing equality when it comes to working outside the home, working mothers still on average spend more time on child care and household chores than working fathers.
Within a given week, mothers who work spend about 16 hours on housework and 12 hours on child care, compared to working fathers who spend slightly more than half that time on the same family duties, according to a 2013 Pew Research Center report.
To help women balance increasing work and family pressures, the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University will host the local leg of the national 2016 InnovateHER competition.
"The expectation is that products and services can come out of this challenge that will make a meaningful difference in the lives of women and families," said Joy Dietz, director of Women in Management at Krannert.
The nationwide competition, which is organized by the U.S. Small Business Administration, seeks entrepreneurs who have created a product or service that has commercialization potential, fills a need in the marketplace, and has a measurable impact on the lives of women and families.
The Small Business Administration launched the first challenge in February, with local competitions hosted by universities and other organizations.
InnovateHER winners from the national 2015 competition designed products such as a flushable, discreet and easy-to-use pregnancy test, a water-resistant garment to protect post-surgical mastectomy drain sites, and products to support larger busted women.
This will be the first year the Krannert School of Management has participated as a host organization, Dietz said.
The local first-place winner will receive $3,000 in prize money and a travel stipend to compete in the national competition. The second-place winner will receive $1,500 in prize money.