Inventor Resources
The frustration I hear most often from inventors is that they don’t know how, or can’t, find the right company to license their invention to. I’ve always relied on the retail marketplace to find an appropriate company. But with the advent of the Internet, finding the information you need to license your invention is increasingly easier and faster. And there’s a specific new site that can help you do so. This free web site is devoted to helping inventors with a directory of over 250 companies looking for inventions, product scouts, patent attorneys, contests and more.
There are a number of different ways to use the site. Detailed information about some of the most popular and “inventor-friendly” companies has been compiled, including their individual process for submitting outside innovation and contact information. Some of these companies include Black and Decker, 3M, Conair and Cuisinart, Rubbermaid, Whirlpool, and Proctor and Gamble. However, if you need or want to start looking for a fitting licensee from a broader base, the site has potential companies organized by category. These categories include arts and crafts, baby and child, toys and games, office and supplies, garden, packaging, etc. Each category offers a list of potential licensees and the links to their website. If you can’t fit your invention into any one category, that’s a good indicator you may ultimately have difficulty finding the right company or product line – companies usually design for several categories and want to have fluid product lines.
The site has also compiled other resources to help inventors. For example, a list of inventor scouts around the nation and a brief description of whom they are and what they’re about. Additionally, a link is provided to the most current list of inventor’s organizations, provided by Inventor’s Digest.
The site was designed to help you, the independent inventor. The best part about it may be that it’s interactive – please, if you know of an inventor-friendly company, submit its name!
Getting the help you need and the information you want has never been easier. You may have difficulty selling your invention to that company – but actually finding companies that could feasibly sell your product shouldn’t be the reason you’re held up.
Visit the site here.
Stephen Key is a successful award-winning inventor who has licensed
over 20 products in the past 25 years. Along with business partner
Andrew Krauss, Stephen runs inventRight, a company dedicated to educating inventors about selling their ideas and the skills needed to succeed. You can ask questions and get advice on the inventRight forum, check out the resource center, and listen to the weekly radio show on inventing.
