The headquarters of Riggs Bank, so prominent it was referred to as the “Bank of Presidents,” resided down the street. Patrons could easily stroll through Lafayette Square, attend a service at St. John’s Episcopal Church, or—given the proper invitation —enjoy a conversation with pre-eminent intellectuals and community leaders at the Cosmos Club, a private social venue for science enthusiasts.
Marketing sometimes inadvertently takes a back seat to the excitement of creating a groundbreaking product. Because many of us have limited time and resources to devote to all aspects of product development, marketing efforts can become sporadic or inconsistent, hindering an invention’s potential success.
Hungarian-born Maria Telkes was an energetic, accessible, determined pioneer for solar energy who was underappreciated. With a prism-shaped aluminum box tucked under her arm, 54-year-old scientist Maria Telkes walked across the campus of New York University toward a group of faculty members and students who gathered under the midday sun.
Federal Trademark Searching: Get an overview of the fundamental mechanics of using the USPTO’s trademark search system, May 10 from 3 to 4 p.m. ET. The free webinar is geared toward new users and anyone interested in conducting basic searches.
USPTO IP Champions educate communities on the importance of IP protections such as patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets to innovation. They support local educators and are available to discuss important IP concepts, share our free online resources, and empower the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs.
Many of the patent rules are subtle and cause amateurs (including me) to lose a large chunk of the patent’s strength and value if we prepare a patent on our own.
Despite the significant economic challenges and geopolitical tensions throughout 2023, the year concluded on a positive note with an increase in patent transactions. This upturn in activity within the patent secondary market coincided with a growing interest among companies to invest in research and development, particularly in the technology sector.
Is it worth the time? What has worked before? What will have to change? I look into factors such as demand, market size, manufacturability, cost and trends. I also do an extra layer of evaluation.
Evolutionary and revolutionary product development define how companies improve existing products, introduce new products and innovate. Both approaches have their advantages and drawbacks.
HBCUs have played a crucial role in advancing intergenerational economic mobility for Black families and communities throughout generations. Additionally, HBCUs have been instrumental in fostering innovation and intellectual property (IP) development. A late 2021 report by ThePlug said HBCUs accounted for almost 400 U.S. patents.
This can be a nervy time for the inventor: the real test of whether the device can stand on its own in the marketplace, and whether people want to buy it. Because the launch has such high consequences, you must take the utmost care in preparation to ensure you have everything right.
I have seen inventors with amazing products that never made it to market. The No. 1 reason is that they gave up too soon. Besides a few obvious character traits, these others are consistent in successful inventors.