Contest: For The Next Great Inventor!

from the website: http://broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=5640

http://www.historychannel.com/invent/


"Calling All Inventors! Modern Marvels Invent Now® Challenge Seeks America’s Next Great Invention Idea

The History Channel® and National Inventors Hall of Fame® Foundation launch new competition for everyday inventors

The History Channel® and Invent Now® Inc., a subsidiary of the National Inventors Hall of Fame® Foundation, announced today that they have joined forces in search of the nation’s next great invention idea. Inventors throughout time have shared one common attribute – a unique gift for seeing a reality that does not yet exist. The Modern Marvels Invent Now® Challenge provides an opportunity for independent inventors to be discovered and to influence the ever-changing face of invention."


"The Modern Marvels Invent Now Challenge will be accepting submissions at www.History.com/invent from today through December 31, 2005 at 11:59p.m. PT. The winner of the Modern Marvels Invent Now Challenge will receive the tools and training necessary to become America’s next great inventor – beginning with a $25,000 grant. In addition, the winner and four other finalists will be announced and have their invention ideas and stories featured during Modern Marvels “Invention Week” on The History Channel (May 22-26, 2006). The 25 semi-finalists will also have their invention ideas featured at a national exposition and be invited to attend a one-day invention seminar to help further develop their invention ideas. "

Yahoo Groups for Inventors

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/theinventorsforum/

from their site:

Description
Welcome amateur and professional inventors!!! This yahoo group was created for all who have the desire and the creativity to invent new ideas and concepts. Welcome scientist, circuit designers and draftsman. Welcome electronic technicians, computer programmers and communications specialist. Welcome engineers, machinist and mechanics. This group was created for people from every walk of life, from various technical and work backgrounds. The common bond that brings us together is inventing! In this group, you will come incontact with people who have diverse technical, business and marketing backgrounds. You will be able to ask questions about a technical problem that may need to be solved, or a marketing problem you may have. It is a think tank, a problem-solving group. You should never give your idea for an invention away to anyone; however; this forum will allow those who are not technically knowledgeable to get some advice from those who are. It is also a place for those of us who are technically knowledgeable, to get some good advice from those inventors who have a good business and marketing background. Presenting your invention to a manufacturer can be a long and hard road. Here in this group, we can discuss ways of how to shorten that road and present your invention to industry in a much shorter and professional manner. So let the creative juices flow!!!

The Big Idea Roadshow is coming Nov 4 Manchester, NH

http://www.bigideagroup.net/Roadshow_OVERVIEW.htm

from their website:

"Big Idea Group invites you to attend our free Roadshows conducted throughout the United States. We’ll arrange a confidential session with a panel of industry experts who will evaluate your idea. If you can’t attend in person, we’ll schedule a phone conference or even evaluate your idea by mail. You’ll receive great advice at no charge—plus the possibility that we’ll represent your idea to innovation-buying companies."

For more information and to find out what products they are looking for, please go to their website:

http://www.bigideagroup.net/Roadshow_OVERVIEW.htm

for locations and events:

http://www.bigideagroup.net/Roadshow_EventCalendar.htm

Inventors Invited to Audition for New TV Show

Associate Press


(10/21/05 - LOS ANGELES, CA) -


"Casting calls for Cowell's ABC reality show "American Inventor" start November 14 in Los Angeles. They'll be held in eight cities in November and December. . . "

see story at: http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=entertainment&id=3561136

For more information go to http://AmericanInventor.tv






(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

University Lecture series with a talk from inventor, physicist, and entrepreneur Dean Kamen

WORCESTER, Mass., Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/

-- Worcester Polytechnic Institute (http://www.wpi.edu) is launching its new University Lecture series with a talk from inventor, physicist, and entrepreneur Dean Kamen. The annual University Lecture is designed to bring to WPI speakers of national and international importance to enhance scholarly and scientific learning and to stimulate intellectual exchange within the university and the Worcester community. The series is sponsored by WPI's Office of the President.

When: Thursday, November 3, 2005
5:00 p.m.

Where: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Alden Memorial Hall
100 Institute Road
Worcester, Mass.

Cost: FREE and open to the public

Who: Dean Kamen has dedicated his life to developing technologies
that help people lead better lives. As an inventor, he holds
more than 200 U.S. and foreign patents, many of them for
innovative medical devices that have expanded the frontiers
of health care worldwide. While still an undergraduate at
WPI, he invented the first wearable infusion pump. He
founded DEKA Research & Development Corporation to develop
internally generated inventions as well as to provide R&D for
major corporate clients.


continued. . . please go to http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/051021/nef021.html?.v=10
for the complete story.

Reminder - Idea Hunt deadline is next week

The two Idea Hunts end next week.
Be sure to submit your ideas by October 26, Wednesday.

See below or go to http://www.bigideahunts.net/index.html for more information and entry forms.

*KIDS' CRAFT AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITY TOYS
eToys is seeking ideas in
1.) craft activity products,
2.) outdoor activity toys.
The emphasis is on highly demonstrable items that would make compelling 60-second infomercials. Beyond craft and outdoor activity items, eToys is interested in good toy infomercial products in general.

*OFFICE COMMODITY DISPENSERS
BIG is seeking ideas for basic office consumable products in convenient disposable dispensers. Think "PEZ for pushpins." We're looking for a whole line of products to be sold near checkout as impulse items. Inventions should be designed mainly for mass office supply retailers and sell for $3 or less.

Contact:
Big Idea Group
175 Canal Street, 5B
Manchester, NH 03101
Phone: 603-641-5955
Fax: 603-641-5995
InfoBIG@BigIdeaGroup.net

Presentation at Harvard Business School

A group of four business consultants are speaking on
Saturday, November 12th,
from 8:30 am to noon
at Harvard University (building/room location not yet determined).

The event is sponsored by the Harvard Business Extension Business Society.

The four-person panel will use a case study, followed by a panel discussion.

IANE member Warren Sadow will be presenting one of the sections.
His topic:
Finding the work that you are passionate about and my own approach to marketing and product development-design-commercialization, involving profitability, along with ethical business practices.

For more information please contact

Warren Sadow
Principal & Team Leader
Sadow Marketing Group, LLC
marketing and product developmentfor meaningful consumer packaged goods
warren@sadowmarketing.com
office 781-894-9006 and cell 781-267-0144

Please see my resume
http://inventne.com/sadow2.htm

my mission statement
http://inventne.com/sadow1.htm

my intro page
http://inventne.com/sadow3.htm

Inventing Better Outlet for Inventors/The Big Idea Group - Globe Story

Inventing better outlet for inventors
( Boston Globe, by Scott Kirsner, 2005/10/17 )

Like many other inventors, Bryon Thompson was searching for a simple solution to a persistent problem. When Kyle, his 6-year old son, got home after school, the boy was spending too much time watching television and playing video games.

read the article here:
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2005/10/17/inventing_better_outlet_for_inventors/

Upcoming Course Reminder: "HOW TO PROTECT YOUR IDEAS"

Thursday, November 3, 2005

IANE member Joseph R. Birkner, M.E. Registered Patent Agent is giving a one day course
in Lynnfield, MA
on November 3, 2005.

This popular course has been on-going forover 15 years.
Learn the basics of protecting your valuable ideas.

To learn more or to register, click here:
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR IDEAS COURSE
http://www.inventne.org/course.html

******STAR RESEARCH COMPANY******
"We Put Ideas To Work!"
Web Site: http://www.gis.net/~starco
*****E Mail: starco@juno.com*****

Product-To-Market Boot Camp This Thursday

http://www.centerdesignbusiness.org/progs_designers.html

The Center for Design and Business is offering a one-day Product-to-Market Bootcamp

Product-To-Market Boot Camp

This intensive full-day workshop is for the artist, designer, inventor or entrepreneur who is bringing a new product design or invention to market. It provides a step-by-step approach to the process of moving from the idea stage to the marketplace. Throughout the day, the various sessions focus on concept evaluation, market research, user feedback, intellectual property protection, product development, team building, presentation methods, business models, and dealing with the realities of entrepreneurship. Guest presenters include David Josephs, David Guay, Deb Morais and Ann Poulos.Note: Fee includes course workbook and lunch.

Click here to download a PDF file with more information on the Product Idea-to-Market Boot Camp.

Presented by: Elizabeth Pierotti, Inventor, Product Developer, Educator and Cheryl Faria, Director, The Center for Design & Business. Guest presenters include David Josephs, Intellectual Property Attorney; Deb Morais, Marketing & Communications; Ann Poulos, Business Research Specialist; Jim Segovis, Bryant University; and David Guay, Models and Prototypes

Date: Thursday, October 20

Time: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm

Fee: $350 ($300 for Center Associates*) Fee includes course workbook

Location: Rhode Island School of Design

If you would like to see their agenda, click here: http://www.centerdesignbusiness.org/agenda_prod_series.html

Prototyping Blog

Prototyping-Net.Com

a person who commented on our blog told us to check this out!
Useful information for Rapid Prototyping
Has a handy Navigation Map too
check it out


http://www.prototyping-net.com/

This Week Yankee Invention Expo in Waterbury, CT

www.yankeeinventionexpo.org

Thursday, October 6, 2005
Friday, October 7, 2005
Saturday, October 8, 2005

At teh Howland Hughes Exposition Center
140 Bank St
Exit 22 off I-84 in Waterbury, CT

Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network

http://www.bc.edu/centers/sbdc/
This is a great resource for inventors and entrepreneurs.

They "provide FREE individualized business counseling assistance for new business, existing business, troubled business, expanding business and start up ventures in all aspects of small business operations including:

Business Plan Development
Financial Planning
Marketing and Sales Strategy
Cash Flow Analysis
Organizational and Personnel Issues
Start Up and Growth
Loan/Financing Assistance

Present opportunities to learn all aspects of starting and operating a small business.

Offer workshops, seminars and management training on varied topics relative to starting and operating a small business."

Some seminars include:
Writing an Effective Business Plan
Borrowing Money to Finance Your Business
Understanding Cash Flow
etc.
http://www.bc.edu/centers/sbdc/seminars/

The Cult of the NDA

Sun - September 28, 2003 at 03:37 AM in
Business

excerpt from
http://www.frozennorth.org/C509291565/E1939404619/

The cult of the NDA

To all those entrepreneurs with innovative, unique business ideas who want to capitalize on them before someone else does, I have one piece of advice: Get over it.

Riding the tech boom of the late 1990's, there were an immense number of tech companies founded with thousands of innovative, smart new ideas. As a research analyst at an investment bank during that time, I personally visited with hundreds of these young companies, and even invested personally in a handful, either directly or through my firm's venture fund.

Every one of these companies believed they had a unique idea, either a piece of technology, a business model, or a way of building a product. Non-disclosure agreements (NDA's) were the order of the day. One startup even printed its NDA on the back of visitor's badges, just like a software "shrink wrap" agreement: "By accepting this visitor's badge, you agree to the terms of this Non-Disclosure Agreement."

At one point, there was even a venture capital conference called NDA , sponsored by the now-defunct (but apparently rising from the grave) Red Herring magazine.

Unfortunately, none of these ideas were unique. Certainly not unique enough to bother signing a formal contract of confidentiality. In some cases, I visited a half-dozen companies with essentially identical concepts, each blissfully unaware of the others.

get the rest of the story at:

http://www.frozennorth.org/C509291565/E1939404619/