HAVERHILL, MA – A local EMS firm has teamed with area businesses and schools to launch the next generation of inventors.

The Lightspeed Hardware Startup Challenge is a partnership among local government groups, business organizations, Northern Essex Community College and Lightspeed Manufacturing, a Haverhill-based contract electronics assembler.

The network is inviting hardware startups with a great idea and limited resources to enter the competition.

MassChallenge, an annual $1 million global startup competition and accelerator program, is providing the model for the competition.

The winner will receive up to a six free printed circuit board versions, culminating with a working prototype. Finalists will share $10,000 in cash, access to Lightspeed’s design services and production facility, access to free and discounted work space at the Burgess Business Center Incubator here, and free consultation and connections to supply chain resources for production.

Everyone who enters the competition will receive free workshops and mentoring on topics such as business, finance, marketing, and technology.

For more information, visit http://lightspeedchallenge.blogspot.com/.

The application deadline is Oct. 15. Finalists will be selected in November.

Contest organizers hope to attract 15 to 20 contestants.