Sept/Oct. Newsletter

The
Tampa Bay
September-October 2013
Can You See Your Success
In Their Faces? Page 5
Wayne’s Words . . . . . . . . . . 2
Recap of Recent Meetings . . 3
First To File is Here. . . . . . . . 5
10-Step Marketing Plan . . . . 7
Increase your Chances. . . . . 9
Sites Built for Inventors . . . 12
Visit our website: www.tbic.us
GET NEWS UPDATES: www.tbicnews.blogspot.com
JOIN US EACH
2 AND 4th WEDNESDAY
EVERY MONTH!
nd
MEET WITH US AT:
Tampa Bay Innovation Center
7887 Bryan Dairy Rd., Ste. 220
Largo, FL 33777
“Inventors Helping Inventors”
The Tampa Bay Inventors Council is here to help you succeed, forge ahead, maintain your
purpose and achieve what you intend to. Everyone in this group is behind you.
A
s we celebrate
our
30th
anniversary
of the Tampa Bay
Inventors
Council
and the appreciation
we have for our
founder Ron Smith,
Wayne Rasanen
It is interesting to
reflect that some of our nation’s founders were
also inventors. Of course Benjamin Franklin
comes to mind but Thomas Jefferson,
George Washington and Thomas Pain
were also inventors dealing with
advancing the technology of their
day. They saw a problem and
devised solutions for it. We should
be thankful to have such men
around as they were responsible for
establishing our Patent system and
giving common men the opportunity to
profit upon their innovative solutions. Prior
to that, it was usually the king who decided if
someone could make something and sell it. This
gave him control of who could become rich and
powerful and kept the commoner a servant to
their lord and master.
Our nation gave rise to the independent inventor and the free spirit that anyone could
become successful. The American dream has
always been that a man could come from nothing and build a comfortable life. Achieve by the
sweat of his own brow and intellectual foresight
a place of wealth and power, not under someone’s thumb. The goal of this council and of
many others around this country is to keep that
dream alive and help foster the kinds of innovations that have made this nation great.
There are yet more chapters to be written
about the success of independent inventors in
the United States provided that we are diligent
about the direction and power we grant
our leaders. The America Invents Act
has moved the line a bit in favor of
the rich corporations and powerful multinational organizations.
First to File favors those who have
unlimited resources and can turn
paperwork in quickly whereas the
independent inventor must husband
his resources wisely. We must be careful not to let the central planners decide who
can profit from innovation. We must continue
to be free inventors helping inventors succeed.
The little guy must continue to have a chance
to come from nothing and make it big. Please
support organizations like the Tampa Bay Inventors Council and give some of your time
and energy. Help keep the American dream
alive!
Need to Reach TBIC?
Office: 727-565-2085 or call: 727-251-4056
George Mouzakis [email protected]
Mailing Address: 7752 Royal Hart Dr. New Port Richey, FL 34653
Website Info www.TBIC.us
Visit our website for information about current and past happenings. You can also download current
and past newsletters in Adobe PDF format. You will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader on your
computer. If you don’t already have it, go to:
www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
to download this free document viewer.
Monthly TBIC meetings are held every 2nd and 4th
Wednesday of EVERY month.
All meetings start at 7 p.m.
at Tampa Bay Innovation Center, 7887 Bryan Dairy Rd., Ste. 220, Largo, FL 33777
Information and articles printed in this newsletter are not necessarily endorsed
by the TBIC and may not be applicable to everyone
Page 2
Tampa Bay Inventors Council • September-October 2013
General Meeting Summary
July 10, 2013
Past Meeting Summary
With no guest speaker tonight the focus was
on our club and its members.
Club president Wayne Rasanen reminded us
that TBIC’s 30th anniversary celebration event
will happen Tues. 01 Oct. 2013 in the EpiCenter. This will be big! Local business and community leaders are invited. The newspapers are
being notified now and the Pinellas County
Economic Development Center is printing a
brochure about this event. Possible speakers
include Akos Jankura & John Cremeans of MyCoolInventions radio show, Kevin Harrington
of Shark Tank TV show, Sara Blakely of HSN,
marketing advisor Stephen Key, plus successful
inventors Jim Cairns and Ron Klein. Our club
needs all members to attend!!!
Club members Barbara Taylor and Lori
Verhunce talked about their recent experience
at the annual INPEX Inventors’ Expo in Pittsburgh. They were there promoting Barbara’s
revolutionary new bedsheet.
One of INPEX’s services to people or organizations who rent a booth is to play matchmaker.
Long before the event, the INPEX staff will
contact manufacturers, distributors and others
within the presenter’s industry in hopes of bringing representatives to the show to see the booth
and meet the presenter. Barbara said she made
these arrangements, but then to be on the safe
side, she persistently called INPEX - repeatedly
- and made sure the industry representatives
were committed to attending. She said other
booths had made similar arrangements but did
not follow up persistently and repeatedly. They
ended up very disappointed. But Barbara was
quite happy with the INPEX service. She now
is in preliminary talks with a supplier to Bed,
Bath & Beyond!
Another INPEX service is to make arrangements for non-disclosure agreements between
the booth renters and the business representatives who will come to the booths. Many big
corporations are reluctant to sign an NDA with
an individual or a very small business. This often
results in both parties dancing around instead of
getting to work. But the INPEX staff made the
entire NDA process smooth and quick, Barbara
said. During her persistent and repeated phone
calls she made sure these NDA arrangements
were progressing well.
Barbara and Lori recommend the annual INPEX event every June. But be sure to stay on
top of every arrangement you make with them.
Visitor Patrick Walker announced he found
the ideal manufacturer to perform the R&D for
his folding ultra-light off-road motorbike. This
invention is intended to be supplied to paratroopers. At current stage the project requires
lots of technical development and refining; far
more sophisticated work than Patrick could
possibly do himself at home. He is so relieved
to now have an arrangement to get this critical
step performed by professionals with the right
equipment, facilities and personnel.
Wayne rolled a few brief videos of a recent
Ignite Tampa Bay event. Ignite Tampa Bay is
the local chapter of an organization that holds
events in which people speak for seven minutes
about whatever they want, as long as they stay
within a certain format. The format is this: A
PowerPoint slide-show is projected while the
person speaks. The slide-show is set up to automatically advance to the next slide every 15
seconds. This forces the person to stay on track
and keep it brief. Everyone who speaks ends up
loving the format, and so does everyone who
listens. Ignite Tampa Bay is growing! And the
Ignite format is catching on nationwide.
Wayne showed the videos because at our
club’s upcoming 30th anniversary event, we
might have inventors presenting their inventions
in exactly the same format. It’s an advanced
form of the classic “elevator speech” and it’s
ideal for explaining an invention. And, quite
frankly, it’s fun! Much better than any elevator
speech. Wayne feels that our members would
benefit greatly by becoming familiar with this
new presentation format and then becoming
masters at it. So start preparing now!
General Meeting Summary
July 24, 2013
Wayne announced that TV show Shark Tank’s
Kevin Harrington and radio show MyCoolInventions’ Akos Jankura & John Cremeans have
committed to being guest speakers in our club’s
upcoming 30th anniversary event in October.
This is great because all three are well known,
and having them elevates our event in the eyes
of local business and community leaders.
Wayne was happy to report that at least three
Tampa Bay Inventors Council • September-October 2013
Continued on Page 4
Page 3
Past Meeting Summary (Continued from Page 3)
of our TBIC inventors have made it into the
first round in the Genesis contest! The contest is
conducted by the staff of the MyCoolInventions
radio show. The Genesis competition has begun
and the search for America’s Top Invention is
happening. The top 64 vote getters are going
head to head every week. Many of the products
in the contest are currently being sold at MyCoolInventions’ on-line store, called MyCoolGadget. Visit www.MyCoolInventions.com.
Tonight’s first guest speakers: Pat O’Mara
and Paul Yeager of local machine-shop Seaboard Manufacturing.
The highest skill level among machinists is
the Tool & Die man. Pat worked his way up
to that level over time, and also has started,
managed and sold a couple of machine-shops
over the years. Two shops in Michigan before
moving to Florida. Locally he initially worked
in a large, established shop before starting Seaboard.
Pat understands the frustration an inventor
often feels: “See that? I thought of that years
ago but I didn’t pursue it; someone else did and
is now making money from it.” It has happened
to him many times. Once, before he was selfemployed, Pat helped his boss - the machineshop owner - design and prototype some device,
only to watch him get the idea patented and
manufactured without offering Pat anything.
Pat decided right then to become his own boss.
Then he was able to make his own marketable
designs real and generate income. He says he
understands how the mind of an inventor works
and is very comfortable working for us.
A big part of Pat’s success has been his ability to devise a plan and stick to it, he says. He
considers a good plan to be the very best tool,
and following the plan properly is as important
as using a tool properly. Proper planning is
Pat’s advice to us. If help with devising a plan
is needed, by all means get it. Business councilors, mentors and coaches are available, along
with business incubation centers. Many are volunteers who offer their guidance for free. Lack
of business know-how is the biggest challenge
to most inventors. This includes planning. But
help is available, so reach out and grab life!
Pat’s business partner Paul comes from 37
years in the automotive aftermarket industry.
He started, managed and sold his own car parts
manufacturing business. Then a friend asked
him to design and fabricate a modification to his
Page 4
car’s brake rotors. Paul did and it worked great.
He researched his invention and saw that it was
patentable. But having so much auto parts manufacturing experience, Paul could plainly see
that he did not have enough capital to patent,
mass produce and distribute his invention.
Until he walked across the street from his old
shop into Pat’s recently opened new shop. Paul
and Pat and Pat’s patent lawyer formed a team,
and together they moved forward; patenting,
manufacturing and shipping Paul’s brake component. They made a ton of money. Paul’s message to us is: Keep on networking. You never
know who you will meet next, and he/she just
might be exactly the right connection you need
to advance your idea. If Paul had not crossed
the street to ask Pat (whom he didn’t even know
at that time) about the brake rotor idea...well,
you know.
Located in Clearwater, Seaboard Manufacturing can help you design your invention from
the ground up. They have C.A.D. (computer
aided design) programs and mechanical engineering know-how. Seaboard can then build
the metal components. They can also design
and build the molds for the plastic components
and ship the molds to a plastic manufacturer for
you. Seaboard can then assemble the entire unit
in mass-production. Go to www.SeaboardManufacturing.com.
Our next guest speaker was Jack Frieder,
president of Grafix Printing. Grafix is an unusual print-shop because they seldom print on
paper. They print on metal or plastic, but rarely
on paper. Grafix produces high quality custom
products from Concept to Completion, specializing in Screen/Pad Printing and small production-runs. From identification products, nameplates, labels and signs, control-panel skins to
decorative plastic and metal industrial components, Grafix prints it!
Screen/Pad Printing is a new form of silkscreening graphics. The silk-screening is done
directly onto the metal or plastic part, then a
layer of clear plastic goes over it, making the
graphics durable and permanent. Extremely
fine detail and tight multicolor reproduction are
readily achieved. It’s also known as sub-surface
printing, and Grafix has been doing it longer
than anyone locally.
Grafix is the supplier to many big corporations that need words, pictures or colors printed
Continued on Page 6
Tampa Bay Inventors Council • September-October 2013
First Inventor to File Is Here: Learn How It Works
Editor’s Note: Additional USPTO info on Page 14
On March 18, 2013, the United States implemented one of the most important components
of the America Invents Act (AIA) by adopting
a “first-inventor-to-file” patent system. The
new system brings more certainty and objectivity to the patent process. In addition, it brings
the United States Patent and Trademark Office
(USPTO) in line with other nations and moves
us closer to a harmonized global patent system.
To help independent inventors understand
the new law and how it affects them when filing
a new patent application, the USPTO has created a set of easy-to-follow animated videos and
slide presentations. All videos and presentations
can be found under the Informational Videos
section of the AIA implementation page.
The videos break the law down into its basic
components and are intended for newcomers to
patent law.
n In the first video you will learn about what constitutes prior art under the new law.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA8_4H156fk
n In the second video, you will learn about the
exceptions to the prior art covered in the first video.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0qQHTLdRRA
n In the third video, a few more types of prior art will
be discussed.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rL01ItMHvI
n The fourth video will cover the exceptions to prior
art listed in the third video.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzVrH71c0nc
Together, these four videos cover Title 35
of the United States Code, section 102, which
codifies the first-inventor-to-file system. There
are four corresponding slide presentations that
go into more detail and cover additional items.
Keep in mind:
1) First-inventor-to-file applies to applications filed after March 16, 2013. Any application filed prior to March 16 will be examined
under the previous first-to-invent rules.
2) Patent applicants still must sign an oath asserting that they are the true inventor of the invention claimed in their application. Only a true
inventor (or an agent or attorney acting on the
true inventor’s behalf) can file for patent protection on the claimed invention.
Reprinted from the United States Patent and
Trademark Office website, www.uspto.gov.
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Tampa Bay Inventors Council • September-October 2013
Page 5
Past Meeting Summary (Continued from Page 4)
on their products. These corporations are in a
wide variety of industries. Some of Grafix’s
contracts are for:
n Signs of all sorts, including those little free standing
plastic ones found in hotel rooms and on restaurant
tables.
n Nameplates – Bolt-on or adhesive-backed for industrial, commercial and retail settings including logo
and product ID panels.
n Labels – Adhesive-backed or other types.
n Custom tags and data-plates designed to meet industrial, medical and commercial needs.
n Graphic Overlays – Faceplates and skins for instrumentation, consumer appliances and control-panel
text.
n Decals on commercial vehicles and squad-cars,
storefronts or offices.
But besides these big contracts to supply
huge numbers of units to well-known corporations, Grafix is happy to print only one unit for
you. And it can look mild to wild, whatever you
prefer. For small production-runs, Jack knows
how to keep price low because he originally
started out as an accountant. But after more than
20 years in the printing business, he and his 10
to 15 employees know what they’re doing. Located in Clearwater, Grafix Printing’s website is
www.GrafixFLA.com.
General Meeting Summary
August 14, 2013
Tonight’s first guest speaker is the editor of
the Tampa Bay Business Journal, Alexis Muellner. This newspaper is valuable to any local
entrepreneur because it focuses on business.
Enterprise reporting is what it does. Articles are
written within the context of “How does this
news event affect businesses?”
The Journal exceeds at enabling small businesses to find and connect with other small
businesses in constructive ways; namely leads,
contacts and connections. This is accomplished
largely in part by the Journal’s huge social
media following and on-line presence. Also,
the TBBJ often works with local TV and radio
(including Public TV & Radio) to thoroughly
cover an event or issue.
While print newspaper subscriptions across
America are declining, the Tampa Bay Business
Journal’s are increasing. Its parent company,
American City Business Journals, owns 40
other local business newspapers nationwide. In
essence, the Journal and its parent understand
Page 6
small business because they are small businesses. Small within the newspaper industry.
Small and focused on the subject they know
best - small business. The TBBJ is not affiliated
with The Tampa Tribune or the Saint Petersburg Times.
Alexis said the TBBJ should be the first publication a local inventor submits a press release
to, because of the focus on small business. And
interviews are easy to arrange. Alexis and his
team would love to hear about every inventor,
his/her invention and especially his/her progress with each project. This is free publicity!
Your invention is your small business, and as
it grows you will eventually need to get your
message about your invention/product/biz
spread far and wide. The press is still the most
influential medium in generating a positive image. Press releases, newspaper interviews and
articles have always been major contributors to
an invention’s success. And absolutely free. Go
to www.BizJournals.com/TampaBay.
Our second guest speaker is a legend in the
direct response/infomercial industry. Forbes
Riley is famous for hosting about 225 infomercials over the past 20 years, both on HSN and
QVC. She has appeared in many TV talk shows
and even a few movies. Over 120 products have
been launched thanks to her work, including
Jack LaLanne’s Power Juicer®, the Aerobed®,
Microgrill®, MaxiGlide® hair straightener, Mor
Furniture Stores™, the Trivita™ line of products,
and now her own product: the SpinGym®.
Forbes whipped out several products and described each one’s story. She is especially proud
of the SpinGym...it’s her new passion. She described how she, like everyone else except the
actual inventor himself, initially thought the
SpinGym was the silliest product ever. Then,
upon actually trying it out, realized how much
of an athletic work-out it provides. Her love of
the product began at that moment.
The SpinGym story lead up to her message
about believing in your invention. Forbs says if
you can believe it, you can achieve it. No mater
how ridiculous the product may be; keep believing in its success. Even if no one (including marketing gurus, manufacturers or industry big-wigs)
believes your invention will sell, keep believing in
its success. This attitude has worked for so many
of the products she has represented over the years.
She just keeps proving the experts wrong!
Continued on Page 10
Tampa Bay Inventors Council • September-October 2013
The Inventor’s Initial 10-Step Marketing Plan
by Jeffrey Dobkin
One of my readers asked, “How do I market a product?”Yeah. It’s just that simple. And
here’s your simple answer:Invest time, money
or energy. Or just pick two. Or, maybe it is just
that simple.
First, some questions: Are you marketing
a product or a service? Is it local (geographic
marketing) or national; industrial, business to
business; to a wide or narrow niche, or a retail
product?
Also – How much
does your product cost?
What is the sales buying
cycle, and is it need-driven? Impulse? Seasonal?
Is price important? Most
importantly: What are
your sales goals? How
much do you want to sell?
And what’s in the marketing budget? You do have a
budget, don’t you? Sigh…
Anyhow…All these different possibilities have different marketing campaign
strategies – but they all start
here. But here’s how every
plan starts.
1. Identify your most likely
prospects. The first step in
any marketing plan. Go for the
ones waving money in their
hands and are ready to buy, right now.
2. Create a coherent PR (press release)
campaign for newspapers and magazines.
This is a series of press releases: a campaign
sustained over time that’s well thought out up
front. Write each release headline for now. Find
magazines in Bacon’s Magazine directory or
Oxbridge Communications Periodical Directory found in major libraries.
3. Create “informational booklets” to give
away for free and offer them in your press release. The booklet title is responsible for the
quantity and quality of the response, so write a
great title using the Jeff Dobkin 100 to 1 rule:
Write 100 titles, go back and pick out your best
one. By offering a FREE Booklet you give
consumers a non-threatening reason to call
and something to ask for in return for showing
they’re interested.
4. Keep tight track of the response: Where
did it come from? Then plan on ads in the most
successful PR media placements.
5. Start creating a mailing list of your top
250 prospects. That’s right – start digging for
names and addresses. Yeah, it’s hard work.
Thankless, too. But your success depends on
your mailing list.
6. Track every call, every inquiry. Have a
sheet of paper by every phone and ask,
“And how did you hear of our
company? ”Write it down and put
that slip of paper in a drawer. At
the end of a few months count the
slips for each, you’ll know exactly what’s working.
7. Create quality literature
and cover letters. Send cover
letters with everything.
8. Mail to your Top 250. Mail
to your best prospects frequently, every 4 to 6 weeks if you
can. If you can’t identify your
market tight enough and make
this mailing work, you’re in
trouble.
9. Test and retest small
ads in various media. Don’t
forget to look at low cost,
unusual advertising opportunities such as association
newsletters and so forth.
10. Keep marketing to wherever the best
prospects and most sales are coming from.
Clone your best customers: Figure out where
they came from, what they like, why they purchase – and look for more of the same.
I hope this is helpful. Don’t forget to buy my
book, “Successful Low Cost Direct Marketing
Methods.” Best $30 bucks you’ll ever spend on
marketing.
Jeff Dobkin’s article appeared in MarketLaunchers’ on-line newsletter. Jeff has written four books
about invention marketing. Visit www.dobkin.com.
Paul Niemann runs MarketLaunchers. com, where
he lists his customers’ inventions on his website’s invention database so they can be seen by companies
that search for new products to acquire. Visit www.
MarketLaunchers.com or call Paul Niemann at (800)
337-5758 or [email protected] for more information. © 2011 Jeff Dobkin. Reprinted with permission.
Tampa Bay Inventors Council • September-October 2013
Page 7
Using Crowdfunding for Project or Business
by Jerry Chautin
Originally appeared in the
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Monday, August 5, 2013
[Editor’s note: June Hollister was a TBIC
guest speaker in May 2013.]
J
une Hollister is a Largo-based marketing
expert who teaches small business
owners how to make
a crowdfunding pitch on
portals such as KickStarter,
WeFunder, CrowdFunder
and RockThePost.
Recently Hollister gave a
presentation to members of
the Sarasota Internet Mastermind Group how they
can use crowdfunding to
finance a cause, launch or
grow a small business or finance a specific project such
as publishing a book or producing a film.
Hollister calls herself an
“infopreneur” because her business provides information, such as in her “Boot Camp,” a workshop that teaches the ways to develop a crowdfunding marketing plan.
“Your marketing plan will clarify where your
campaign can or cannot go and what the future
holds for your chosen cause/project,” she says.
To start a crowdfunding campaign, Hollister advises her clients to “start with the end in
mind.” She says to think about the public, called
the “crowd,” who will be making small donations for you to reach your goal.
“Without a great benefit for the public, you
will not reach your destination,” Hollister says.
Your marketing plan starts with a 30-second
Page 8
“elevator” pitch, she says. It should include an
“irresistible offer” and a reason why the donor
should believe you.
“Focus on how their donation will affect the
cause and how they will benefit from their donation,” she says.
You can learn more about donation crowdfunding and Hollister’s training at www.crowdfundingBC.com.
Donation
crowdfunding has not fallen under the
regulatory oversight of the
Securities and Exchange
Commission so far. That is
because the donors receive
nominal gifts and a thank
you for their small financial contributions. If donors
received equity, however,
usually in the form of stock
ownership, stringent and
costly SEC regulations must
be followed.
But the JOBS Act, signed
into law more than a year
ago, is slated to make it easier and less costly to
sell company stock online at equity crowdfunding portals. So I asked Hollister if she intends to
teach her students how to write marketing plans
for equity crowdfunding.
“I can’t really say at this time if I am going to
be involved with equity crowdfunding or not,”
she replied. “Because there is so much controversy in the JOBS Act’s rules, and investors
with such little visibility into the actual risks involved.”
In fact, the SEC is still struggling with how
to finalize the rules to protect unsophisticated
investors without making the disclosure-anddocumentation rules too costly and draconian for
Tampa Bay Inventors Council • September-October 2013
the companies issuing stock.
That is why the SEC’s final rules missed the initial Dec. 2012 deadline and a launch date for equity
crowdfunding has not been announced.
But according to Caron Beesley, the community
moderator for the SBA’s blog, we can expect the
launch soon.
“The SEC is still in the rulemaking process and
is due to publish final regulations before non-SECaccredited investors can start financing small businesses” she wrote. “Final rulings are expected this
summer.”
When that occurs, small businesses will be allowed to sell up to $1 million in stock on the crowdfunding portals every 12 months. Most investors
will be permitted to invest up to $2,000 each.
“Unlike angel investments, in which an investor
takes a large stake in a small business, with crowdfunding, you can literally attract a crowd of people –
each of whom takes a small stake in a business idea
by contributing towards an online funding target,”
she says.
She recommends forming the most suitable business entity to sell stock in your company, likely a C
corporation, which permits an unlimited number of
stockholders.
“Talk to a lawyer or a local small-business organization like your SBA district office or SCORE
to help you explore and select the right entity,” she
says.
SBA South Florida district office’s website is
www.tinyurl.com/kerop5t, and the local SCORE office at www.manasota.score.org.
“Start writing or refining your business plan,”
Beesley says. “This will help you determine the
amounts of financing you are looking to raise.”
A marketing version of your business plan will
be posted on the crowdfunding portal. It describes
your company, includes its financial statements and
persuades the crowd to invest in you.
Beesley recommends SBA’s business plan tool at
www.sba.gov/business-plan/1.
In southwest Florida, free hands-on business
planning is available from Manasota SCORE and
the State College of Florida’s Small Business Development Center, www.tinyurl.com/17x6es4.
Jerry Chautin is a volunteer with Manasota.SCORE.
org, a local nonprofit SBA resource partner offering free
business advice and mentoring. He is SBA’s 2006 national “Journalist of the Year” and a former entrepreneur, commercial mortgage banker and business lender.
He writes and blogs about business and commercial real
estate strategies for several publications and financial
organizations nationwide. Contact him at jkchautin@
aol.com.
Here’s Why Manufacturing and Selling
Your Product Increases Your Chance
by Paul Niemann of MarketLaunchers.com
One of our readers asked me, via e-mail,
why his chances of licensing his invention
would increase if he first manufactures
and sells the product at retail?
I replied that it is because you are removing much of the risk for the prospective licensee.
I’m currently working on getting licensing deals for some of my customers, so I
know first-hand that there are several risks
that a company - any company - must deal
with. These include:
1. The risk of dealing with an unknown and
unproven product
2. The risk of dealing with unknown problems
that may come up, such as the failure of the
product to do what you think it will do
3. The risk that the market may reject your
product
4. The risk that a competitor may knock it off
once it hits the market
5. The risk that you may (unknowingly) be infringing on another company’s product
6. The risk of dealing with a stranger (you) who
lives in another part of the country.
If you are already manufacturing and
selling the product, then you’re eliminating, or at least reducing, the first four
risks.
You also reduce the amount of resistance from the “not-invented-here” syndrome that afflicts many companies. I
realize that sometimes it is not feasible to
manufacture and sell the product yourself,
but these are some of the benefits to consider when making that decision.
At MarketLaunchers.com, we list our
customers’ inventions on our website’s
invention database, so they can be seen by
companies that search for new products to
acquire. This is another tool you can use
when licensing your invention.
Paul Niemann runs MarketLaunchers.com,
where he lists his customers’ inventions on his
website’s invention database so they can be
seen by companies that search for new products to acquire. Visit www.MarketLaunchers.
com or call Paul Niemann at (800) 337-5758
or [email protected] for more information.
Reprinted with permission.
Tampa Bay Inventors Council • September-October 2013
Page 9
Past Meeting Summary (Continued from Page 6)
She also suggests we never forget that people
don’t like to be sold anything. When promoting your product, do not try to sell it. Instead,
just describe how the thing will make the person
happy and add value to his/her life. Highlight
the benefit to the customer. Then let the person
decide whether or not to buy it. Avoid the hardsell at all times. And for crying out loud, do not
go into great detail about how the thing works,
unless the person asks! Inventors are infamous
for this.
Forbes Riley is one of today’s most accomplished entrepreneurs, a highly sought-after
spokesperson, motivational key note speaker
and life coach to celebrities and CEOs. Our club
is indeed fortunate to have snagged her for tonight’s meeting, considering her busy workload
and intercontinental travel itinerary. Luckily for
us, she lives locally. Check out her website at
http://ForbesRiley.com.
General Meeting Summary
August 28, 2013
Have you ever heard of an oceanic engineer?
Ocean engineers study the effects of waves, currents and the salt water environment on marine
vehicles and structures. They develop methods
and materials to withstand wave forces and
protect against corrosion. And they are directly
involved with harnessing the ocean’s resources
for humankind’s advancement. Tonight’s guest
speaker is an oceanic engineer named Dr. Clifford Merz.
But he wasn’t here to explain the field of
ocean engineering. Instead he discussed local
organizations that exist to help transform rough
ideas - whether invention ideas or other types into lucrative businesses. Clifford has had firsthand experience with some of these organizations. Either by being a client (to commercialize
his own invention, discussed later), or by being
a member and/or councilor (to guide clients toward their own success).
All of these organizations receive support
from the local government in some form or other. But you must understand that the expectation is for each business client to grow and hire
local workers. Local government helps in exchange for the creating of local jobs, jobs, jobs.
Therefore, you must understand that these organizations are of little help to an inventor who
intends to license his/her patent and allow the
royalty checks to roll in. Rather, these organiza-
Page 10
tions are for the inventor who intends to build a
business around the invention idea, then manufacture and market the invention; thus creating
jobs and hiring workers locally.
University of South Florida
Technology Transfer Department
www.research.usf.edu/dpl
Established to facilitate the commercialization of the university’s patents and copyrights,
but quite willing to help inventors from outside
the college. Most tech colleges have a technology transfer dept. nowadays. You can receive
help from faculty staff, researchers and grad
students. This includes lab testing and prototyping. Especially good for sophisticated high tech
invention ideas that the inventor would have
difficulty proving in his/her home workshop.
If you wish to licence only, the Tech Transfer
Dept. will help. Or if you wish to launch a biz
and manufacture, help is here.
USF Connect
www.research.usf.edu/rf/usf-connect.asp
Focusing on the needs of Tampa Bay’s technology entrepreneurs throughout their entire
business life cycle (not just your launch), USF
Connect provides the facilities, partners and resources for successful business development.
Offering access to technologies, workforce
programs, technology commercialization, critical research equipment and incubator facilities,
USF Connect’s assistance also involves the
fields of start-up launch, financial, funding,
staffing, legal, marketing and more.
Tampa Bay Technology Incubator
www.research.usf.edu/rf/tbti.asp
TBTI is one vehicle through which USF
Connect grows successful companies. TBTI
supports technology research as a catalyst for
economic development and advocates the creation and development of facilities for hightechnology companies and related support
functions. TBTI assists by providing access to
critical costly research equipment.
Florida High Tech Corridor Council
www.research.usf.edu/rf/
florida-high-tech-corridor.asp
Established to attract, retain and grow high
tech industries in 23 counties across central
Florida. This involves 1-to-1 matching of research funds, workforce development and the
cultivation of technology networks. Also inContinued on Page 11
Tampa Bay Inventors Council • September-October 2013
Past Meeting Summary (Continued from Page 10)
cludes a marketing program which leverages
the budgets of governments, Economic Development Offices and interested corporations on a
regional rather than local basis. Because lots of
money is in this program, it’s intended for a biz
that’s poised to blast off and employ potentially
hundreds of workers in the area.
USF Young Innovator Competition
http://USFYoungInnovator.com
The mission is to promote innovation and
creativity in young people by motivating them
to solve problems and make improvements. It
also provides them with formal instruction into
the business of making money from invention
ideas. Open to all students K-12. The top 10
students go through boot camp style training to
prepare them for a Shark Tank style pitch event
to actual business representatives. This is not
kid-stuff; it’s neither easy nor fun. But students
who have successfully competed the entire
package are true entrepreneurs ready to go forth
into the business world. One of this organization’s founders is Anton Hopen, who is also one
of the founders of TBIC.
USF Chapter of the National
Academy of Inventors
www.research.usf.edu/nai/nai-usf-chapter.asp
The NAI recognizes and encourages inventors who hold actual USPTO patents, enhances
the visibility of university and non-profit research technology programs, enables safe disclosure of intellectual property, educates and
mentors innovative students and enables the
commercialization of its members’ inventions.
Florida Inventors Hall of Fame
http://FloridaInvents.org
Celebrating those inventors whose achievements have advanced the quality of life for
Floridians, our state and our nation. Honorees
are selected annually through a process open to
all inventors in the State of Florida. Nominations are reviewed by a committee comprised
of distinguished experts in the relevant fields
of innovation. Although this organization does
not directly help inventors who are just getting
started (no funding, advisors or research work),
it does offer many important contacts and connections. Many local politicians, business leaders, academicians and other movers & shakers
attend this group’s events.
First Wave Venture Center
http://FirstWaveVentureCenter.org
By Entrepreneurs, For Entrepreneurs, this
16,000 sq. ft. innovation center in downtown
Tampa helps developers, entrepreneurs, designers, tech start-ups and business mentors to communicate, collaborate, and innovate their ideas
and businesses. Operated as a non-profit dedicated to helping entrepreneurs build, launch and
grow thriving tech ventures locally, the Center
is home to several tech startups. Lots of tech investors are members. Basic membership: $75/
month.
Next, Clifford described his own invention
and the business he built around it. As an ocean
engineer, he knows there are several ways to extract electricity from the sea. One involves the
mixing of fresh water with salt water. One body
of water contains positive ions, the other contains negative ions. This imbalance of electrons
can result in electrical current, if only someone can figure out how to harness it. Clifford
has. His invention is a membrane that mounts
between both bodies of water where a river
empties into the sea. The membrane does not
impede water flow because it does not mount
across the river’s mouth. Instead, two identical curtains of membrane material are mounted
parallel to the water flow for several yards out
from the mouth. The curtains project outward
from the river banks like a set of jetties. Sort
of an extension of the river beyond its mouth.
Thus, fresh water exists between both curtains
with salt water outside of the curtains. Electricity is generated within the membranes and wired
into the grid. The fresh water then continues to
flow past the end of the membrane curtains and
into the sea.
Clifford named his business Dialytics, Inc.
Obviously the implementation of his proven
idea will be complicated. Issues related to the
environment, boat navigation, power-grid annexation and many others will pop up. They are
solvable but require the cooperation and coordination of many agencies and organizations.
Therefore, it’s plain to see why Clifford is
involved with the organizations he described
earlier. It’s all about getting to know the right
people who can enable his invention/business
to grow and bring value to society. He wants
us to know that help is available if we ask it
from the right people and organizations. And
above all, he says, is to Hang In There! Success
might come slowly, but if the idea is a good one
and you go about implementing it the right way,
success will eventually follow.
Tampa Bay Inventors Council • September-October 2013
Page 11
WEBSITES
Brief descriptions in parentheses.
U.S. Gov’t.
U.S. Gov’t. General Information Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.FirstGov.gov
USPTO Depository Library (UCF, Orlando) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . http://library.ucf.edu/GovDocs/PatentsTrademarks/default.php
SATOP-Space Alliance Tech (NASA helps inventors; free) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.SpaceTechSoluttons.com
SBIR/STTR (gov’t. wants inventions) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/sbir
Nat’l. Standards (gov’t. helps inventor’s business) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.nist.gov/tip
D.O.D. Tech Match (military R&D) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.DODTechMatch.com
Patent Offices, Patent Search
U.S. Patent & Trademark Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.uspto.gov
European Patent Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.epo.org
Google Patent Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.google.com/patents
State Gov’t.
Florida Department of Revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.state.fl.us/dor
New Business Start Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.sunbiz.org
USF Technology Incubator (free help to inventors; Tampa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.incubator.usf.edu
Tampa Bay Innovation Center (STAR TEC, business incubation; Largo) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.tbInnovates.com
Gazelle Lab (biz incubation; Tampa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . http://GazelleLab.com
Inventor’s Education, Advice, Books, Lessons, Info, Etc.
Edison Inventors Ass’n. (non-profit inventor’s club; Ft. Myers) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.EdisonInventors.org
Inventors Council of Central Fla. (non-profit inventors’ club; Orlando) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.InventorsCouncilCentralFLA.us
World Intellectual Property Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.wipo.org
National Inventor Fraud Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.InventorFraud.com
United Inventors Ass’n. (large nat’l. org.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.uiaUSA.org
Inventors Digest (magazine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.InventorsDigest.com
Patent Café (inventor’s issues) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.PatentCafe.com
InventionScore(evaluation service, Patrick Raymond) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.MyInventionScore.com
Inventor’s Blueprint (training, Ryan Grepper) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.InventorsBlueprint.com
EdisonNation (education, contests, info) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.EdisonNation.com
Everyday Edisons (P.B.S. show, contests) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.EverydayEdisons.com
Idea Next Step (on-line contests) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.IdeaNextStep.com
From Patent to Profit (Bob DeMatteis) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.FromPatentToProfit.com
Inventor Mentor (Jack Lander) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.inventor-mentor.com
The Basics of Patenting & Innovating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.inventors.about.com/od/firststeps
Ask The Inventors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.AskTheInventors.com
Inventions.com (inventor’s directory) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.inventions.com
Lloyd Marketing Group (Lisa Lloyd) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.LloydMarketingGroup.com
InventNet - Inventor’s Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.InventNet.com
MIT-Lemelson Inventors Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . http://web.mit.edu/invent
Intnat’l. Federation of Inventor Ass’ns. (Budapest, Hungary) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.invention-ifia.ch
Intnat’l. Development Enterprises (nonprofit, 3rd world inventing) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.ideorg.org
Innovation TRIZ (problem solving method) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.innovation-triz.com
ASIT (inventor’s problem solving method) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.start2think.com
Invention Machine (R&D problem-solving software) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.invention-machine.com
KeyWord Patent Search (workbook) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.USIntellectualPropertyAttorney.com/PatentSearching.html
Stephen Key (inventor’s blog, coaching) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . http://StephenKey.com
Product Design, Prototyping, Manufacturing
R&R Associates (product design, prototyping; Sarasota) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.RnRAssociates.com
Invention-Aids (rendering & virtual prototypes, Mal Greenberg; Tampa) www.invention-aids.com
Duracon, Inc. (Voytek Beldycki; Venice) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.DuraconInc.com
Delaney Manuf’ing (Injec’n molding, product des., prototype; Bradenton)www.DelaneyManufacturing.com
Chapman Mold (Brooksville) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.chapman-mold.com
Source Direct (design, manufacture, distribution; Tampa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.TheSourceDirect.net
Oaks Partners, TAEUS (design strategy, Dan Messick; Tampa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.opLLC.us
Trident Design (product design, prototyping, licensing) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.trident-design.com
EMS, Inc. (product design, prototyping; Tampa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.ems-usa.com
eMachineShop (product design, prototyping, free CAD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.eMachineShop.com
Machine Design (rapid design & prototyping info.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . http://MachineDesign.com
Society of Manufacturing Engineers (Tampa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . http://chapters.sme.org/159/homepage.htm
Marketing Services
Innovative Product Technologies (Pam Riddle-Bird; Gainesville) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.InventOne.com
Hill, Coniglio & Polins (market research, planning, ads; Tampa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.HCPAssociates.com
My Marketing Dept., Inc. (Allen Jernigan; St. Pete) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.MMDept.com
Grapple Hook Marketing (mkt. research for industrial products; Tampa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.GrappleHook.com
My Cool Inventions (radio show, marketing; Tampa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.MyCoolInventions.com
Package Management Group, Inc. (packaging & marketing; Tampa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.pmg-packaging.com
Market Launchers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.MarketLaunchers.com
Idea Village . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.IdeaVillage.com
Wal-Mart (new product contests) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.GetOnTheShelf.com
Impama (invention marketplace) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.inpama.com
One Stop Invention Shop (Don Debelak) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . http://OneStopInventionShop.net
Page 12
Tampa Bay Inventors Council • September-October 2013
Licensing Agents
Invention Home (household products) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.InventionHome.com
DaVinci Legacy Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.DaVinciLegacyGroup.com
Planet Eureka (Doug Hall) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.PlanetEureka.com
Next Techs (patent sales broker, venture capital) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.NextTechs.com
Patent Lawyers, Patent Agents, Legal Services
Att’y. Referral Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www,AttorneyReferralOnLine.com
Ed Dutkiewicz (reg. patent att’y.; Dade City) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.EdDuke.com
David Ellis (patent att’y.; Largo) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . http://Publish.pDesigner.com/DavidREllis/index.jsp
Dave Kiewit (reg. patent agent; St. Pete) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.patent-faq.com
Smith & Hopen (reg. patent att’y.; Clearwater) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.SmithHopen.com
Stephen Powers (patent agent; Tampa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.GulfCoastIP.com
Mike Colitz (reg. patent att’y.; Dunedin) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.colitz.com
Brent Britton (reg. patent att’y.; Tampa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.ssd.com
Inventor’s All-In-One Services
Big Idea Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.BigIdeaGroup.net
Quirky (crowd-sourcing, evaluation & assistance) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.quirky.com
Idea Connection (innovation hosting) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.IdeaConnection.com
Innovative Consulting Group, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.biz-consult.com/ICG/
Obvia Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.obvia.biz
Design My Idea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.DesignMyIdea.com
Jetta Co. (toys, electronics; Hong Kong) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.jetta.com.hk
Trade Shows
Invention Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.InventionConnection.com
Trade Show Nat’l. Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.tsnn.com
ERA Invention Showcase (Electronic Retailers Ass’n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . http://retailing.org
Catalogs, Mail Order
Nat’l. Mail Order Ass’n. (info. about catalogs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.nmoa.org
Catalog Link (info. about catalogs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.CatalogLink.com
Catalog Times (learn to sell thru catalogs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.CatalogTimes.com
Tilbury Direct Marketing (agent representing many catalogs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . http://CatalogRep.com
Business Data & Info.
SCORE (Service Core Of Retired Executives) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.score.org
Small Business Development Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.asbdc-us.org
Small Business Administration (loans & loan info) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.sba.gov
Entrepreneurial Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.entre-ed.org
Start Up Nation (business education) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.StartUpNation.com/topics/11/Inventing.htm
Florida Women’s Business Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.flwbc.org
World’s Market Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.WorldOpinion.com
Thomas Registry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.ThomasNet.com
Hoovers On-Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.hoovers.com
Industry Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . http://Research.ThomsonIB.com/
Funding, Angel Investors, Venture Capital
Angel Capital Ass’n. (angel groups, non-profit) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.AngelCapitalAssociation.org
Alliance of Angels (angel groups) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . http://AllianceOfAngels.com
National Venture Capital Ass’n. (VC groups, non-profit) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.nvca.org
Florida Venture Forum (VC education, non-profit) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.FloridaVentureForum.org
Quintic Capital, LLC (angels, VC, coaching; Tampa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . http://quintic-capital.com
Go4Funding (angels, VC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.Go4Funding.com
AngelList (secret website) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . http://angel.co/
CEO Space (international networking club) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.CEOSpace.net
FundAGeek (crowd-funding) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.FundAGeek.com
KickStarter (crowd-sourcing) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.KickStarter.com
Indiegogo (crowd-funding) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.IndieGoGo.com
TIE Tampa (Intnat’l. biz network; Tampa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.TieTampa.com
CAD Software (Computer Aided Design)
CAD Std (free 2D) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.cadstd.com
Alibre (free 2D & 3D) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.alibre.com/promos/online/personal.asp
CoCreate (free 3D) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.CoCreate.com/products/PE2/ModelingPE2.aspx
Parts, Supplies, Materials
Don’s Salvage Yard (used stuff; Clearwater) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.DonsMarineSalvageYard.com
Skycraft Electronic Parts (new parts, Orlando) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.SkycraftSurplus.com
American Science & Surplus (mechanical & electrical) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.sciplus.com
W. M. Berg, Inc. (small parts supplier) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.wmberg.com
McMaster-Carr (industrial supply) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.mcmaster.com
American Plastics Supply (supplier & manf’er.;Clearwater) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.AmericanPlasticSupply.com
G-Wiz Fab-Lab (machine shop education & rental; Sarasota) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.gwiz.org
ADVERTISE WITH TBIC!
TBIC is now accepting advertisers for the TBIC Newsletter! If you would like to place
an ad please contact the TBIC Main office at: 727-565-2085
Tampa Bay Inventors Council • September-October 2013
Page 13
Interviews and
Patent Quality
by David Kappos, Under Secretary of Commerce for
Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO
We talk a lot and do a lot at USPTO about patent quality. We also talk a lot and do a lot about
interview practice. And we have always assumed
a relationship - well documented interviews lead
to high quality patents by enhancing understanding and issue-resolution for both applicants and
examiners. But we have never actually looked at
the data to test this assumption.
Until now.
We recently ran the data to understand whether
there is a correlation between interviews held in
patent applications and patent quality. We analyzed data on patent quality in applications where
interviews were held as well as where interviews
were not held (data from over 22,000 applications from the past five years was reviewed).
The findings, which are statistically significant,
show that interviews conducted prior to final
disposition (allowance or final rejection) of the
application increase the probability that the subsequent action will be in full compliance with all
applicable quality standards. The data shows that
interviews help decrease both improper allowances and improper rejections by approximately
40 percent compared to applications without interviews prior to the final disposition.
The correlation is not surprising, but its degree
certainly is impressive. A 40 percent improvement is almost always worth investing in. And
while other factors may contribute to the correlation, it is substantial in any event.
Improving patent quality was also one of the
stated goals of the Leahy-Smith America Invents
Act patent reform legislation signed into law by
President Obama in 2011. As the USPTO continues to implement that landmark legislation,
we can now add interview practice to the list of
actions that verifiably and measurably, improve
quality, while saving time and money, and reducing misunderstandings and rework.
Applicants and examiners-please reach out
and suggest an interview whenever it makes
sense. For quality’s sake.
Inventors Assistance Center is a resource of InventorsEye. InventorsEye is the US Patent and Trademark
Office’s bimonthly on-line publication specifically for
the independent inventor community. www.uspto.gov/
inventors/independent/eye
Page 14
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receive Discount Subscriptions
to Inventors Digest Magazine!
Inventors Digest is the official publication of the United
Inventors Association. TBIC
is an affiliate member of the
U.I.A. and therefore TBIC
members are entitled to a discount on the price of Inventors Digest subscriptions.
Regular Price Discount Price
$36 for 1 year$27 for 1 year
TBIC Members can get this
discount when subscribing
(or renewing) ONLY by phone or
snail-mail, not through Inventors
Digest’s website.
Phone: (800) 838-8808
Ask for the Account Manager
and explain that you are a TBIC
member and ask for the discount.
Snail-Mail: Send your check and a note
that explains the above to:
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Tampa Bay Inventors Council • September-October 2013
Student Member
A Student Member at the $25.00 rate
must be an active student enrolled in
an accredited school. They may attend
Officers &
meetings and receive the Newsletter.
Board
of Directors
Sustaining
Member
Student
Member
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President
A
Sustaining
Member
($75.00
per
yearA Student Member at the $25 rate must be an active
student
[email protected]
Wayne Rasanen
see below)
enjoys
the benefit
of They
attendenrolled
in an
accredited
school.
may attend meetings
ing
meetings,
seminars,
socializing
and
Vice President
Andrew Yauch - Vice President
and receive the Newsletter.
networking with other members, receivKirk
Hamlin
Sustaining
ing the Member
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Gayla
Kilbride
Treasurer
Secretary
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($75
per
yearsee
below)
enjoys
the
reviewer in our Focus Groups. They
Rob Aiken
benefit
of attending
meetings,
seminars, socializing and
are allowed
to present
their protected
Robert Aiken - SecretaryTreasurer
networking
with
other
members,
receiving the Newsletproduct to all
of the
various
companies
(such
informercialas
and
ter
andasparticipating
a catalog
reviewercomin our Focus
BoardGroups.
Members; Mark Peterson
panies)
cometotopresent
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for the market.
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ofnew
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various companies
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and Deen
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usually findthat
other
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with the
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companies)
come
to the TBIC
to find new
products
Kirk
Hamlin
prototyping
knowledge
need,
andother members
Brad Bridgham
for
the market.
Membersthey
usually
find
with
Allen Jernigan
payprototyping
that member
for their they
time need,
and for
Pam French
the
knowledge
and pay that
member
Mark
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prototyping materials used. Sustaining
Joe
Navarro
for
their
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and
for
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used.
Sustainmembers may ask to have a free Focus
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ing
members
ask toproduct
have a and
free are
Focus Group
doneRon
on E. Smith Founder
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done may
on their
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allowed
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Ron E. Smith
allowed
to display
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in our their product in our
designated
designateddisplay
displayarea.
area.
Officers &
Dues Descriptions Board of Directors
T.B.I.C. Prorated Sustaining Membership Dues Schedule
$75 per year, prorated.
Renewal date: 01 January.
People
who join
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pay this
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until...
Jan.
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Then they renew their membership for a full year at $75.
Visitors Welcome
Welcome
Visitors
The Board of Directors of TBIC
Theto
Board
of Directors
of TBIC
wants
welcome
all visitors.
Adwants
to welcome
all is
visitors.
mission
for visitors
$5.00 Adper
meeting, for
unless
accompanied
an
mission
visitors
is $5.00byper
active member.
hope that you
meeting,
unless We
accompanied
by
can
see
the
benefits
of
becoming
an active member. We hope thata
member!
Our
allow
visitors
you
can see
theBylaws
benefits
of becomto attend
two meetings
withoutallow
obliing
a member!
Our Bylaws
gation to to
join.attend two meetings
visitors
without obligation to join.
Please Respect
Respect the
Please
theOther
OtherMembers
Members
Ata arecent
recentBoard
BoardMeeting,
Meeting,several
severalmembers
memberssaid
saidthey
At
theyreceived
have received
complaints
talking
in the
have
complaints
aboutabout
talking
in the
backback
of the
of the meeting room while the meeting is in progress.
room
themembers
meetingare
is in
progress.
Some
ofas
oursuch
memSomewhile
of our
hard
of hearing,
and
bers
hard oftohearing,
as such find
it competdifficult to
findare
it difficult
hear theand
presentation
if it is
hear
the presentation
if it is competing
with
other noises.
ing with
talking in background.
While we
acknowledge
that networking
is vital for
of us, we ask
the for
future
While
we acknowledge
thatallnetworking
isinvital
all of
that
to network
before
or after
the or
preus,
weour
askmembers
that our try
members
try to
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before
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sentation. It would also be appreciated if all cell-phones
the
presentation.
would during
also bethe
appreciated
were
put on silentIt answer
meeting. if all cellphones were put on
silent.
Thank
you! - Your Board Of Directors
Thank you! - Your Board Of Directors
Members are invited to write letters for inclusion in the newsletter. Email to [email protected] or
[email protected], fax to 727-547-5490 or mail to TBIC at our office address. Letters should be brief, to
to write
forname,
inclusion
inaddress
the newsletter.
Email
to [email protected],
the Members
point, andare
be invited
accompanied
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Letters may be edited forfax to
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mail toLetters
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at our
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clarity,
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be printed
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Page 15
Newsletter Staff
Executive Editor George Mouzakis
Contributing Editor Robert Aiken
To submit articles, send emails to: [email protected]
Submissions must be received by the first Tuesday of odd months.
The Tampa Bay Inventor’s Council (TBIC) is a corporation as defined in Chapter 617, Florida Statutes, as a
not-for-profit. The corporation is organized exclusively for
charitable, educational and scientific purposes. The TBIC
is a 501(c)(3) charitable corporation, which allows the
receiving of tax deductible contributions of goods and services. There are over 150 active members willing to share
their expertise and experiences with fellow inventors.
Tampa Bay Inventors Council • September-October 2013
Page 15
I n d u s t r i a l
J o e
&
M e c h a n i c a l
N a v a r r o
Principal
Design
D e s i g n
J r .
Consultant
Over Twenty Five Years | Design | Engineering | Manufacturing
Product Design
Concept to Production
Design for Manufacture
3D CAD Design
CAD models for Visualization, Prototype & Production
Rapid Prototyping (3d printing), Tool Making, CNC, Analysis,
Graphics, Patent Drawings
Extensive Experience
Consumer, Commercial, Medical, Industrial,
Military, & Aerospace
Plastics, Metals, Composites
3D CAD design using Pro/Engineer
www.ptc.com
N a v a r r o
D e s i g n
I n c
| Mobile: 727.421.1941
| [email protected]
PO BOX 2628 | LARGO | FL | 33779
Office: 727.581.0766