Expanding the Think Tank: How Independent Inventors Can Help Your Company
Inventors can't replace corporate Research and Development departments, which are necessary to many businesses. However, if your company is actively looking for new products, you could be missing out on an opportunity to review inventions from independent inventors. Inventors can sometimes come up with great ideas that can work hand and hand with corporate R & D departments or as an additional source of new products.
Independent inventors are an excellent resource for companies who wish to gain entry to new product markets. "It is absolutely beneficial to get ideas from inventors," says Jeffrey Badovick, the founder and President of APTEC, a product development firm for consumer product companies. "Independent inventors often have good, strong backgrounds that help support the inventions themselves."
Inventors are also a good source because they are often consumers who buy your products. They comb the store shelves looking for certain products and when they don't exist, they take the time to invent them. This is perhaps the most valid market research of all. In fact, studies have shown that two-thirds of the most significant inventions of the last century, have come from individual inventors.
Once a company finds an idea from an inventor, it can decide whether to work with the idea or pass on it. Even if the invention fails to interest the company, minimal time and money is spent on the internal evaluation procedures.
You may be asking, "Where can I find these inventors?" The answer is simple. Just as companies may be looking for outside inventors, inventors are searching for manufacturers and companies to take a look at or consider their "pet projects." Many inventors take their ideas to inventor service companies or attend trade shows in the hopes of meeting a manufacturer or company.
A conscientious inventor service company like InventHelp® has access to thousands of ideas and works hard to try to make those connections between inventors and companies. InventHelp® has been in business since 1984, is America's largest inventor service company and also sponsors INPEX® - America's largest invention trade show.
InventHelp® has many ideas available for review. Companies can access them by signing up for the InventHelp Data Bank®. InventHelp® can serve as a product scout for your company, actively seeking inventions to fit your area of interest at no cost. Even if your company has its own research and development department, why not add this economical resource to your innovation bank?
Once your company is registered, you will receive information on product ideas that match your areas of interest. Also, if you are looking for a particular type of product idea, you can speak directly to a Licensing Executive, who will do a custom search of inventions and form a list of ideas to suit your needs.
InventHelp® will keep your contact information confidential and will not disclose it to any other source. Your main point of contact will be the Licensing Executive, not the individual inventor. If you have an interest in an invention and/or wish to explore a concept further, you will of course be introduced to or have access to the inventor. In many cases, inventors can contribute technical or marketing insights to help make a decision to license or commercialize a product.
If your company is looking to expand its product line, consider registering for the InventHelp Data Bank® and let us become your new product scout. Please call 800-851-6030 to register.
