There are many different ways for an inventor to get the invention funding that he needs. These ways include getting grants, getting Angel investors on board, getting public funding, working with a venture capitalist, and getting private investors. For reasons of their own, some inventors choose to immediately find private investors to fund their inventions. Perhaps they feel that the competition for grants and for venture capitalists is too tight, leaving them at a disadvantage. These inventors will need major help in locating the right kind of private inventors for their invention funding. We thought it would make for a helpful article to give them tips on where to look.
1. Check your local business community- a good move to get invention funding is to find local investors first. That way, it will be less difficult to get together to discuss progress about the invention. If you’re going local, it can’t hurt to check out your local business community. Local Chamber of Commerce clubs, as well as other business groups are not only a great way to widen one’s network, but they can also provide valuable information of owners of different businesses. If you can find a local business owner who may have some use for your invention, he may want to come on board and become an investor. Another perk for joining the Chamber of Commerce is you may even be introduced to actual investors.

2. Don’t underestimate trade associations- many different industries already have a trade association, responsible for bringing individuals of similar industry together. This is also a good place to find investors for invention funding, because you already know that all the people in this group may be able to use your invention, because of its close relation and connection to their work. A great way to make friends within the group is to join and actively contribute. Don’t join, find your investors, and then disappear. This move will put you in a bad light, and when you need the services of the group in the future, you may not be as successful.

3. If it proves to be difficult to find local private investors, it may be time to widen your search a little. Try to find companies within the country that you think will be interested in your invention. Try to find a manager or a high-up contact person to talk to. When you do, contact that person and see if it would be possible to make a pitch. If they agree, you may have to find a way to get to them and make that personal pitch. While pitches can be made via email, or even phone conference, there is much value in making a personal appearance and pitching your invention idea, and enumerating the reasons why the investors should take you on.

Do remember that when you do get that go signal to make your pitch, it is your responsibility to make sure that you appear as professional, prepared and knowledgeable as possible. To accomplish this, you may want to see if Idea Design Studio will be able to help you. We have teams that can help come up with professional materials that are used in pitches to investors, companies and prototype makers. If you need it, we are able to provide 2D,3D, and CAD illustrations of your invention idea. Call us and set up a meeting with us, so that we can do all we can to make sure that your investor pitch proves to be a success.

There is always so much hype surrounding great inventions. People always think that when you come up with a great invention, fame and fortune are sure to follow. The problem is, even though plenty of people want to become inventors because of the perks, they’re not quite sure how to come up with invention ideas. That’s why plenty are always looking for free invention ideas that they can capitalize on. They think there is actually a resource where everyone can get free invention ideas. While that is not quite how it works, that is not to say that one cannot find these invention ideas. They’re everywhere, and if you know where to look, you can sort of say that they are free too. Here are a few places where you should begin your search:
1. At home- You may think your home is the most uninspiring place to look for invention ideas, but let us tell you right now that you are wrong. Inspiration can come in many forms and one of these forms includes problems. Yes, problems can be inspirations- for new invention ideas of course! Why not create a problem that makes the most common problems of home go away? Do you find your home too cluttered? Is there a way that you can make something to address that? Or is there a chore that everyone on the family hates doing? Why not try to think up an invention that addresses that?

2. At work- Your place of work is another space where free invention ideas are all over. The great thing about thinking up an invention for work is that you’re pretty sure that you are addressing a collective problem. Another perk of coming up with an invention for work is you don’t have to look far and wide for a place to market your invention. If it proves to be effective, then all you need to do is pitch it to the head of your workplace and see if they will pick it up and implement it!

3. Your local community- local communities always have all sorts of problems and complications that need to be dealt with. Whether it be a problem that will require a machine or a gadget for an invention, or one that requires a sort of system to be put in place, you can be that person that can come up with the solution. Like coming up with an idea for the workplace, coming up with one for the community will also mean an instant place to market it to. The other obvious perk is that you actually get to contribute something that will make your community a better place to be and live in! Who can beat that?!

So you see, if you look hard enough, free invention ideas can be found everywhere. You don’t have to base it on a database or anything like that, because the best ones are literally under your nose. And when you finally come up with one, then you can approach us, Idea Design Studio, should you ever need help in coming up with the right marketing concept, or need professional collateral to present. We’re always inviting our potential clients to sit down with us in a confidential meeting, so we can see if we are a good fit for each other.

In a previous post entitled How to Sell invention Ideas, we briefly touched on the importance of protecting one’s invention idea. We want to talk about it more in this post, and even go as far as providing our inventors with some more specific tips.

 

So, why is it so important to protect an invention idea? The straight and honest answer is simple- it’s because there are so many people out there who will try to take advantage of you and take the credit for your hard work. Given the fact that inventors toil away for months, even years, to produce good products, it just seems so unfair for someone to steal their work. One of the best ways for inventors to prevent this, and look out for themselves in the process, is to find active ways to protect themselves. Protecting oneself, as well as one’s work does not have to be an expensive and complicated thing. Here are our top tips on how to protect an idea:

1. Apply for a provisional patent- You don’t need to have a finished product in order to qualify for a patent. Even if your invention is still in the process of being created, a provisional patent is a way to get an extra bit of protection. As soon as you have a provisional patent in your hands, your invention will immediately have a 12-month period wherein it can apply for a “real” patent. Until then, the status of your invention will be “patent pending” but that will be enough for you to seek legal action to anyone who tries to steal or copy your idea. This is our number one tip on how to protect an idea.

2. Practice secrecy when creating your invention- From the moment that you come up with a great idea, until the time that you actually come out of your lab with a finished product, it may be best to keep mums about what you are doing and what you are developing. Tell as few people as possible, and tell them only if necessary. We often hear stories of family and friends fighting over rights or ownership of a product. These stories may be the result of an inventor not being diligent enough with protecting his idea. How to Protect An idea tip number 2 is this- keep quiet! You will have no idea how many problems you will dodge by just following this rule.

3. Be diligent with your NDAs- These days, it is so easy to get hold of standard non-disclosure agreements. You can even find a standard format on the internet. We suggest printing a few of these out, and taking them with you, especially when you meet with prototype makers, suppliers, invention illustration developers, and just any person that will learn about the different details of your invention. Just have these people sign an NDA for you. That way, just in case they have any plans of doing something, they will know from the get go that it may not be worth it, that you are actually an inventor who knows his rights, and knows how to protect himself.

A last tip we can give inventors on how to protect an idea is to develop it in the fastest way possible. The longer an idea sits, the higher the possibility of others thinking up the same thing, or getting wind of it. Idea Design Studio can help inventors with speeding up the process of developing ideas, with the different development and marketing services that we offer. Call us and schedule a confidential meeting with our talented teams because the sooner you do it, the sooner your invention will be developed, and protected.

It goes without saying that there are many perks to successfully inventing a product. And in the effort to encourage inventors in the making, we want to highlight those advantages today. What do you really get in the event that you manage to invent a great invention? Here are a few perks that we can think of:

1. Fame- There have been a number of inventors who have garnered unbelievable fame for inventing a product. Here are a few examples: Alexander Graham Bell is synonymous with the telephone, Albert Einstein is credited for creating the atomic bomb, Thomas Edison is known for many things, including the phonograph, light bulbs and electricity, and Benjamin Franklin has made his mark on the world with his lightning rod. If you become successful with inventing a product, the same kind of fame and recognition may also be waiting for you

2. Fortune- Since we’ve already covered fame, it’s time to cover fortune. One of the best advantages of inventing a product is the possibility of fortune. The right invention can be snapped up by thousands, if not millions of consumers, and if you own the rights to the product, then that could spell out lots of profit. Another way to make a fortune is when another company offers to buy the rights and patent of the product off you. To cite an example, the inventor of the Clarisonic face cleanser was doing very well with sales, but when L’oreal offered to buy the invention off him for an undisclosed amount, it was then safe to assume that he had really made it!

3. The satisfaction of having changed life as we know it- Think of the many gadgets that you have around you, and how they have impacted your life. This is another advantage that inventors should consider when coming up with new things. While this is a sort of personal perk that comes with inventing a product, it is no less important. Great examples are gadgets like the Iphone and the Ipad. They’ve changed the way we live so much, and we have Steve Jobs, as well as his talented team of inventors from Apple, to thank for that. These gadgets allow us to accomplish tasks for work and for play, while staying connected to the people all over the world. The Iphone and Ipad have changed the way students learn, people do business, and families communicate with each other. Having that much influence all because of one invention must leave the inventor with a very good, very satisfied feeling!

Of course, there are more perks that will come with a successful invention, but these three are the general ones, and the most common ones every successful inventor is bound to encounter. Use the thought of these perks to encourage you on the road of invention. There is so much promise in being an inventor that it is really a great career option.

For all inventors out there who need some assistance with turning their inventions from good to great, Idea Design Studio is just a phone call away. We’ve got the experts to provide inventors with 2d,3D and CAD illustrations and renderings. We also have marketing experts that can help come up with the best ways to market a finished invention. If you are interested in any of these services, schedule a confidential meeting with us so we can start our collaboration!

The ultimate goal for many inventors is to successfully sell invention ideas to many, many consumers. Of course, it goes without saying that if one can successfully sell his invention idea, then he or she will make enough money to live very comfortable. A common question that we get is that asking if there is a right or wrong way to sell invention ideas. To be honest, there is absolutely a right way to sell invention ideas that will not only ensure sales, but ensure the right amount of protection for the inventor too. Here are a few tips on how to accomplish that:

1. Take the necessary steps to protect your idea- There are always people who will try to steal invention ideas, or have come up with similar ones to your own. The best first step before attempting to sell invention ideas is to start out with a patent search. Try to find if someone has already beat you to a patent of a similar idea. If there is nothing in the records like it, it may be a good idea to apply for a provisional patent so that you are protected for the next 12 months with a “patent pending” status.

2. Immediately take the steps to come up with a prototype as well as patent drawings- You may want to come up with your patent drawings fast by using the services of an invention development company such as Idea Design Studio, who specialize in professional illustrations. Having this will immediately increase an invention’s chances of having its patent application approved. The same approach should be taken with the actual creation of the prototype. If the invention is something that you can create yourself, then by all means, go for it! However, if it is something a little more complicated, then professional help may be your best bet in coming up with a good prototype in the shortest amount of time. Remember that the quality of prototype will determine if you will be able to sell your invention idea.

3. Do the math- part of being able to sell and market an invention idea successfully is figuring out how to bring it to the market. For this part, an inventor may have to crunch some numbers and really work out how much he will have to spend in order to get the product in production. Not only that, an inventor must look at competing products in the market and figure out how to price the invention, by determining how much the public will be willing to pay for the invention.

In order to sell invention ideas, an inventor needs to get the above mentioned things accomplished, and then some more. We advise inventors out there to act quickly, as there are pretty much a million other inventors who are also trying to get their products out there.

If you need help in the development part of the invention, know that Idea Design Studio is readily available to serve. A number of our clients have realized that they want to work with us after meeting with our team for a preliminary confidential meeting. Maybe you can do the same too, and we can get a great working relationship started! Call or email us if you want to get this confidential meeting set up, so that we can get on the first step of selling your invention idea.

A great way for an invention to really fly off the shelves is to focus on developing product ideas, instead of just random inventions with no real intended purpose. For inventors to really accomplish the task of coming up with new product ideas, they probably have to subscribe to a more specific way of thinking up concepts and ideas. We thought that by posting these tips, we might really be able to help some inventors who really want to break in the market with new and useful products.

1. Choose what kind of product idea you want to develop- There are so many products available on the market, so for an inventor to just think up a product without going into the specifics, the invention process can be difficult. It is better to narrow it down to what product one wants to invent. Does the inventor want to make a kitchen tool, a car tool, an appliance, or an electronic? Narrowing it down to a specific field will help an inventor tremendously with focus.

2. Try to determine what products are missing from the market- after an inventor has decide what specific field he wants to create a new product for, he needs to have a clearer idea of what new product ideas can really prove to be successful. An easy way to determine this is to look at the available products in the market. Let’s say you’re an inventor and you’ve decided to create a kitchen product. You may want to go into a kitchen appliance store, or a store that sells everything related to kitchens and do a thorough walk-through. Try to see what products are meant for what chore or task. During the process, you’ll probably be able to figure out if there are any tasks that are not addressed, or have fewer products on the market for. When you do, you can really sit down and start creating a new product with a very specific purpose.

3. Try to determine market trends- Sometimes, there’s a boom in the building industry, sometimes in the kitchen industry. Different market trends can happen at different times, and there may even be trends that can go on simultaneously. It may also be lucrative for an inventor to focus on developing new product ideas based on these trends. If people are buying these sorts of products because they are in, then who is to say that they won’t do the same to yours too? As long as your idea is good, and you can make a great invention out of it, then it will definitely have potential to sell.
These are our tips for new invention ideas. Inventors really have to be smart and practical if they want to come up with new ideas that will actually sell and become staples in the market.

We also want to advise inventors out there that if they already have new product ideas but are unsure about the next step, they can consult with experts like Idea Design Studio. We are a company that specializes in idea development. We definitely have the experience and professionalism to take an idea and develop materials that will make it easier to produce, to market, and even to secure a patent for. Call us or email us to set up a confidential meeting that is absolutely free of charge!

The act of invention is a personal process. However, that doesn’t stop many people from asking us, an Invention Development Company, how to invent. We are here to help inventors so we thought that a great way to do that was to provide answers to many of their questions. Today, we want to tackle this “how to invent” question, and will give out tips on how anyone, even one who is not officially an inventor by trade, to come up with some pretty kick-ass inventions.
1. Don’t be so rigid- if you force yourself to invent something, more often than not, you will have trouble coming up with a good invention. Plenty of the best inventions that have been released and marketed have been invented purely by accident. These inventors did not sit down and figure out how to invent this certain thing. Instead, these invention ideas came to them probably when they were doing other things, and not thinking about inventing something at all!

2. The best inventions solve problems and so, an inventor will probably not be able to invent something if he is not familiar with the problem that needs the invention in the first place. – So, if you’re an inventor, don’t attempt to solve a problem you know nothing about! The best way to start out with invention is to figure out how to invent something that would solve one of the most major problems in your life. Obviously, the problems that you have may vary from other people, but surely you can dig a little deeper to find a problem that a good many people will be able to relate to as well.

3. Have fun with it- not all inventions are designed to be serious, so if you don’t have the most serious personality, then how will you invent something that is very serious? At the end of the day, your invention should be a good fit with your personality, because you will have a big part in pitching it, explaining it to other people and promoting it. If you put some fun and a part of your personality into your invention, not only is it a great way to make your invention truly your own, but you will ultimately have the best time developing it too.

There are just different ways on how to invent something, but as one of our final tips to inventors out there, we always want them to remember to go with their gut. Your gut is an excellent teacher and will tell you if you’re doing something right, or if there should be something that you should not be doing.

One last thing, in the process of invention, you may need a little extra help. If it is help in the invention development department that you are looking for, then you should set up an appointment with us. Idea Design Studio constantly works with inventors who need assistance on how to develop their inventions. Sit down with us in a confidential meeting, so that we can discuss ideas, and the possibility of working together.

There have been some kids who have come up with some brilliant inventions by kids! Now for these very specific inventions, there may be a more specific set of marketing rules to follow in order to make these inventions really stand out, and ultimately, more successful in the market. To be perfectly honest, it can be tricky to market inventions for kids because the market is changing all the time, and very trend oriented. However, there are a few marketing tips that may be applied to these inventions to help them along. We’ve decided to feature three here, to help those who are currently trying to solve this conundrum.
1. In marketing inventions for kids, loud colors and general loudness are very much allowed- Kids are known to have very short attention spans, so it is important that when one markets products geared towards them, that the products appear to be attention grabbing. To accomplish this, loud colors, wacky fonts, and overall, really outrageous packaging may have to be used. When you do this, don’t forget to pay some attention to the actual product too. It is not enough that the packaging of the product appears attractive for children. The actual product has to follow suit too. Make sure the product will also be something that will appeal to children, using the same striking color schemes, and just an overall sense of fun.

2. Never forget to mention and even emphasize that the invention was made by a kid!- For some reason or another, the world is really endeared by inventions by kids. A majority of people really wants to support what kids put out there, inventions included. This is where marketers can take advantage. Make sure that when you’re promoting inventions by kids that you mention that they are in fact made by kids! This little fact always impresses a lot of people, and will do wonders to help product sales. A smart idea would be to include the simple phrase, “made by a 9-year old” inventor, or something equally similar in the packaging. That way, buyers and potential customers can immediately see the fact, and that can help create more intrigue and interest in the product.

3. Try to get media interest for the kid’s invention- the right media attention can really get more people to buy a product, and the media really likes human interest stories. The fact that a child has managed to invent something great is a very good human interest story and something that the media will very likely want to pick up. So if you have a great invention by a kid, try to tell your story to different blogs, news websites, and even your local newspaper or news channel. Who knows of the hype this new story could generate, and of course, the sales that it could translate to!

If you have a child who has managed to come up with an amazing invention or product, there is no reason to hide that invention away! We really encourage parents to help their children market their inventions. And for our part, Idea Design Studio have handled inventions by kids before with much success. You may want to hear about that work that we’ve done with kid’s inventions and our part in developing them. Sit down with us in a confidential meeting and you can do just that!

There are many ways on how to market your invention. Some people want to do it using as much jazz and pizazz as possible, even if their product doesn’t reflect that. The result of this kind of marketing is a lot of disappointed customers, who have come to expect more, but have ended up getting less. While there is nothing wrong with marketing a product with much hype, provided the actual product can actually back it up, there is something to be said about marketing an invention ethically. If you are one of those people who may not know how to market your invention ethically, then this should be the article that you are reading. We’ll give you a few tips on how to do just that!
1. Don’t say that your invention product does one thing, when it fact it doesn’t- This first rule on how to market your invention is so simple, yet a lot of people forget about it. Remember that it is never a good idea to lie about what your invention can do. Pretty soon, the people who actually believed your lie and bought your invention will find out the truth, and they will get really angry! While they may not be able to return the invention, they may choose to boycott your company or your future ones, creating plenty of problems for you in the future.

2. Charge fairly for your invention- Figure out how to market your invention to back your losses, and make some profit for yourself, but don’t go overboard. Let’s say you’ve actually come up with something that can potentially change thousand’s of people’s lives, but you price it in such a way that only a hundred people are able to afford it. If this is the case, you’re doing the other 900 a disservice and their lives will never be bettered because they will not be able to get their hands on this product.

3. If possible, use sustainable materials and packaging for your invention- part of how to market your invention ethically is making responsible choices on the materials that will go into the invention, as well as the packaging for the invention. If you make it a point to use recyclable and sustainable materials for both then you will not only be doing your customers a favor, but you will also be doing Mother Earth a favor. An extra bonus for doing this is that you could actually use this as a marketing tactic. There are plenty of people and families that prefer to buy sustainable products, so it is these people who could express interest in your invention, and even be more encouraged to buy one for themselves!

Choosing to market an invention ethically doesn’t mean losing out on profits. It also doesn’t mean sacrificing the quality of one’s product. It simply means making more careful and ultimately better choices that will not only benefit yourself, but the consumers who will buy your product.

Idea Design Studio can help inventors out there who are looking for ways to develop and market their invention products ethically. Do call us, or email us to set up an appointment for a confidential meeting. Hear our ideas out on how we can accomplish this, and see if we are the kind of company you want to work with.

Every inventor, when making the decision to work with an invention design company, immediately has a lot of homework to do. After all, outsourcing work to another company, no matter what the purpose, is bound to cost money. If an inventor wants to make sure that every penny spent is going to be worth it, he better make sure that the invention design company that he selects will live up to the hype, and be worth the investment in the end. We at Idea Design Studio can understand how difficult and challenging that might be, so here are a few tips to help with the matter:
1. Check the company’s success rate- few inventors know this, but it is actually their right to ask for statistics of an invention company’s success before choosing to work with them. A company of this nature is required by law to give a breakdown of how many of their clients have gained success after working with them. That way, the inventor or client can walk in the deal with eyes open. Obviously, one would be more inclined to work with a company that has championed successful inventions and products, rather than work with one who has not accomplished anything, if we were to base it on track records.

2. Go to the initial or first sit down meetings that many invention design companies give out- Most good companies of this nature offer an initial sit down meeting with potential clients so that both parties can see if they are able to work together. In fact, our company, Idea Design Studio offers this too. If the company you are eyeing has this offer, take them up on it. This is your chance too, to check if you like what you hear about the company. You want to look out if your manner of working, as well as personalities are a good fit. You also want to use this meeting to really talk about pricing. Find out how much you are expected to pay for the company’s services, and see if this amount is something that your budget can accommodate. If your budget cannot accommodate it, be direct and ask them what they can do for you with your available budget, and see if you are happy with that.

3. Don’t forget to snoop around- When we say that, what we mean is to do a bit of research in different inventor’s circles, in scam forums and websites, and review websites in general. The main thing that you are looking for is a company that has absolutely sign of a scandal or money making scam attached to them. Because really, if they’ve taken other people’s money, who is to say they won’t do the same for you too? As much as possible, try to find an invention design company that has a clean and pristine record and reputation.

The best thing that you can do for yourself as an inventor is to find a good company that will support you, be a joy to work with, and will not run you to the ground. When you accomplish that, you are sure to get back every penny that you’ve spent on this investment.

We want to take this opportunity to let everyone out there know that Idea Design Studio is a reputable Idea Design Company who would love to work with inventors out there, and assist them in realizing their vision. However, don’t let this be your only impression of us. See for yourself what we’re like by scheduling a confidential meeting with us.