The inventor’s handbook
The essential guide from idea to market. SHARE We are living in a golden age of invention. Because barriers to entry are practically nonexistent, anyone can be an inventor. As a result, the number of amateur creators is on the rise. Nearly half of American adults refer to themselves as “makers.”
Step 1: Research & Model
Inventors should start with representations before they attempt to make something
- Research
- The Internet is a great way to find available materials and possible technologies and techniques you can apply
- Drawing
- Pencil and paper
- Digital Modeling
- 2-D and 3-D modeling software
Funding
There are many options for funding the invention process including crowdfunding, competitions, self-funding, investors, and outsourcing.
- Crowdfunding
- Brett Walker chose Kickstarter for his invention because it was simple and inexpensive
- Competitions
- GoTenna co-founder Limor Fried invested $10,000 of her own money to test interest and get immediate feedback
- Investors
- Outsourcing
- Licensing or selling your intellectual property can spare you the hassles of a startup
To market
Build a community of true believers – people who know about and support your product.
- Evangelize about your product at conferences, meetups, and hackathons
- Use media to reach new audiences and build your customer base
- Get feedback and market research to determine demand
Experiment
The creative process requires trial and error-you must test your prototype, tweak it to make it work better, and then test it again. Repeat over and over again until there is no room for improvement.
- Tools for this phase include: Milling Machines, 3-D Printers, and Acetech.
Finalize
The final prototype should be presentable for potential investors and customers.
- Scaling up
- The tools you used in the experimental phase might get the job done, but your final prototype will be built to scale and it will likely entail more expensive materials and more careful design.
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