Your Strategy Launchpad
As innovative products continue to emerge, what are some of the ways for inventors to reach a wider audience for effectively launching their inventions?
Your USPTO: Establishing the New Fit
In 1979, Lisa Lindahl, Hinda Miller, and Polly Smith received U.S. Patent No. 4,174,717 for the athletic brassiere, or “Jogbra.” More than 40 years after their invention, they gathered in the National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum in Alexandria, Virginia, to discuss their experiences as pioneers in the women’s fitness industry and to reminisce about their days as young friends and creators.
A Tangled Lesson for All
Woman’s inventing experience reveals production, design and expense challenges. After your first year or two, when sales appear to be at their peak, approach manufacturers who have a product line in which your product would fit.
The Inventrepreneur
A small, unknown percentage of inventors are entrepreneurial, and a small, unknown percentage of entrepreneurs are inventive. All traits, talents and driving forces of the inventor and entrepreneur are combined. Hence, the Inventrepreneur.
Your USPTO: Lunch and a Historic Launch
The Patent Pro Bono Program’s “Pathways to Inclusive Innovation” event, April 12 at Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, has roots that extend 14 years and about 1,100 miles to the north. A 2010 lunch in Minneapolis between two renowned patent professionals sparked food for thought that eventually became an invaluable and historically significant resource for financially challenged inventors.
Let’s Make a Deal
Key factors in a licensing agreement may vary in importance, depending on the inventor and situation. No one can claim definitively what should be the most important factor in a licensing agreement.
Podcasting for Inventors
Sharing the journey of how an invention came to be, the challenges faced throughout the development process, and triumphs achieved create a powerful connection with listeners.
Your USPTO: Famed 15
The 2024 class of the National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) literally ranges from A to Z—with a similarly broad scope of inventors and their accomplishments. Signature accomplishments in the fields of cancer-fighting therapy, DNA sequencing, wireless networking, automotive safety, and even theatrical special effects are among those highlighted with this year’s inductees.
Bravado is Not an Option
On one hand, confidence in leadership can be so high that a backup plan is not necessary. It embodies a mind-set of unwavering commitment to succeed. On the other hand, it is naïve, unprepared and shows an unwillingness to change.
Your USPTO: Honor Our Greatest
The NMTI medal is awarded to individuals, teams (up to four individuals), and companies or divisions of companies for their outstanding contributions to the nation. The medal recognizes American innovators whose vision, intellect, creativity, and determination have strengthened America’s economy and improved our quality of life.
Freedom for Fido
Woman’s 4-in-1 device gives owners control and dogs the ability to roam and play. BY EDITH G. TOLCHIN
Going Big at the Big Show
The last time I attended the Consumer Electronics Show—the most popular and widely attended tech event in America—was two years ago. It was ravaged by last-minute pullouts by big tech companies due to COVID concerns.