Roger Brown (www.rogerbrown.net/blog)
Roger is well known for successfully licensing products and spending less than $100 on each product!
Jim DeBetta (www.jimdebetta.com/jims-page/)
Jim’s blog provides a wealth of advice for new inventors.
Stephen Key (http://www.inventright.com)
Stephen is a phenomenally successful inventor who helps inventors get licensed.
Ron Riley (http://www.inventored.org)
Ron created a website to help keep inventors from getting ripped off. He has “watch lists” of scam companies.
Alan Beckley (http://www.AlanBeckley.com)
Mr. Beckley has 15 years of inventing experience from manufacturing, importing, QVC, to licensing to DRTV.
Ask the Inventors! (www.asktheinventors.com)
Great idea? What next? Are you looking for trustworthy help to get your invention developed, patented and on the market? We know how you feel; we have been right there! Now, as successful inventors, we want to help you to find success without being scammed by invention promoters. Developing, protecting and marketing can be confusing, but we are here with answers!
Inventors Digest Magazine (idmagazine.wpengine.com)
This site is designed for anyone who has ever said, “I’ve got a great idea. . .Now what do I do?” It’s also THE spot for anyone who’s searching for the next HOT product! Check out our magazine site and then follow our links to the wonderful world of invention!
Intellectual Property Law Server (www.intelproplaw.com)
This helpful website allows you to ask questions to patent attorneys and patent agents through their forums. Very helpful!
Inventors Helping Inventors Podcast (www.alanbeckley.com/itunes) Weekly podcast where Alan Beckley interviews successful inventors each Monday – asking them the questions you want to know.The podcast has been going live for over 2 years now, with over 120 episodes and over 47,000 downloads. Great information and it’s free! The podcast is available on all the major podcast platforms.
Small Business Resource (www.informationweek.com)
This site offers helpful information on running and managing a business. If you plan to build a business around your invention check this site out!
International Federation of Inventors’ Associations (www.invention-ifia.ch)
IFIA is a non-profit, nongovernmental organization created by seven European inventor associations in 1968. Today, its membership belong to more than 110 countries. IFIA is the only organization which groups inventors associations worldwide, and a unique spokesman for inventors.
Martindale Hubble Directory (www.martindale.com)
Listing of attorneys according to the category of their practice.
Patent Café (www.patentcafe.com)
This website offers a wealth of information and links for independent inventors.
Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) (www.asbdc-us.org)
Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) (www.score.org)
Tarrant County Inventors (groups.yahoo.com/group/tarrantcountyinventors)
Meet on the third Wednesday of each month in the upstairs dining area of Central Market in Fort Worth. You can reach them through their Yahoo! Group.
United States Copyright Office (www.copyright.gov)
United States Patent & Trademark Office (www.uspto.gov)
Wisconsin Innovation Service Center (www.uww.edu/wisc/)
The Wisconsin Innovation Service Center (WISC) specializes in new product and invention assessments and market expansion opportunities for innovative manufacturers, technology businesses, and independent inventors. Since 1980, WISC has researched the viability of over 6,000 projects. Technical experts and researchers use an extensive array of resources to analyze information on technical feasibility, existing patents, market size, competitive intensity, demand trends, and other areas. WISC’s research products cover product feasibility, competitive intelligence, distributor assessment, customer satisfaction, and licensing partnerships.
Walmart’s Innovation Institute (www.innovation-institute.com)
This website offers an inexpensive product evaluation service.
American Specialty Toys Retail Association (www.astratoy.org)
Discover Games (www.discovergames.com)
International Council of Toy Industries (www.toy-icti.org)
Playthings.com (www.playthings.com)
Online magazine for toy industry.
Toy Industry Association, Inc. (www.toy-tia.org)
Women in Toys (www.womenintoys.com)
About.com How to get New Ideas Funded (http://inventors.about.com/od/gettingthemoney/)
Deal Flow Venture Capital Firms & Angel Investors (http://www.dealflow.com)
Department of Energy Inventions and Innovations (www.oit.doe.gov)
On this site you will find grants for research and development of energy related inventions.
National Science Foundation Grants & awards (www.nsf.gov/home/grants.htm)
Small Business Administration (www.sbaonline.sba.gov)
Student Programs for Invention Funding (inventors.about.com/od/competitionsprize/)
VFinance.com (www.vfinance.com)
Directory of 1,800 Venture Capital Firms and 23,000 Angel Investors.
Ask the Inventors! (www.asktheinventors.com)
Free licensing referrals.
Bacon’s Directories (www.bacons.com)
Complete list of media sources such as newspapers, magazines, television and radio networks and the contact information.
Dun & Bradstreet Million Dollar Companies (www.dnbmdd.com/mddi/)
Harvey Reese & Associates (www.money4ideas.com)
Successful inventor and invention licensing agents.
Licensing Executives Society (www.usa-canada.les.org)
The Thomas Register (www.thomasnet.com)
Listings of manufacturers according to the types of items they manufacture. Available in a 20 volume set at public libraries everywhere and in a more limited version online. When you are ready to locate possible licensees this is one of the first places you should visit.
Exceptional Products, Inc. (EPI) (www.sellontv.com)
Is a direct response television marketer and distributor is looking for new, innovative mass market products. We market all of our products on television through long and short form commercials (“infomercials”) as well as on QVC, HSN and national retailers. The principals of Exceptional Products, Inc. have been involved with creating successful advertising, branding and distribution campaigns for Hairdini Magic Styling Wand, Wrap, Snap & Go Comfort Hair Rollers, TopsyTail Hairstyling Tool, Weed Terminator and Tripledge Windshield Wipers, among others. Inventors are not charged fees for product evaluations. EPI risks its own money to market and distribute the products and pays inventors royalties on the products sold. See www.sellontv.com for further information and to submit your product for a free DRTV evaluation.
AlanBeckley.com (www.AlanBeckley.com)
Based upon 14 years of experience with product development, manufacturing in China, selling on QVC and taking a product nationwide via DRTV (Wonder Wallet) Alan Beckley provides marketing and licensing assistance to inventors. Mr. Beckley has developed both knowledge and contacts to help inventors to get traction for their products for licensing. There is no fee unless the product is actually licensed and commercialized successfully.
The Inventors Bootcamp (www.alanbeckley.com/bootcamp)
This is 5 days of live interactive Zoom training (Mon – Fri), followed by 2 bonus days (Sat & Sun).
Training each day is 1-hour at 2 p.m. Eastern time. Inventors will work through done-for-you blueprints to differentiate their inventions against 7 keys to successful products and then build
their own customize 30-second pitch – the ‘Slam-Dunk’ pitch – for their product. Current cost for the entire bootcamp is only $37.
Reproduce almost Anything with Basic Silicone Mold Making (www.plasticprototypes.net)
Randall Landreneau, the former president of the Tampa Bay Inventor’s Council has developed an ideal method for creating plastic prototypes inexpensively. After watching his video you will be able to produce professional prototypes on your own with very basic tools and no more expertise and knowledge than that which you will learn from the video. This video is a must for every inventor!
Matt Smithers (msmithers2@aol.com)
Matt is a long standing member of TIA and a well respected local prototyper. If you need help in developing your prototype contact Matt. He has proven that he has the inventor’s best interest at heart and works for very reasonable rates. Click here to contact Matt.
Rapid Prototyping Services (www.rapidprototyping.net)
Find other listings for rapid prototyping by typing “rapid prototyping” in any search engine.
Talon Sourcing & Design (www.talonsd.com)
These are design engineers who offer 2D and 3D CAD drawings as well as help with product development and prototypes. In addition they rep several Asian manufacturers for those who want to take the manufacturing route themselves.
GREAT THREADS (www.greatthreads.com)
If you need any embroidery or screen printing done for your product contact Great Threads. They are local and do a great job for great prices. Find them at www.greatthreads.com or call John Poorman at 214 682 9594.
24/7 Patent & Trademark Information Line (210-250-6027)
Provided by Straussberger & Price of San Antonio. The information provided (i.e. the 12 most common misconceptions about patents) is well worth the cost of the telephone call.