Inventor Assistance

SERVICES
Description of our services :

1) Coaching/Guidance throughout the inventing process
2) Patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright information
3) Universitiy, engineering, attorney, and prototyping connections
4) Mississippi patent attorney list.  (The most comprehensive and reliable list available to Mississippi)
5) Financing sources (extremely limited for inventors)
6) Reputable Evaluation Sources (All sources provided are associated with Universities.)
7) What to say to increase the chance of you getting a meeting and then get a deal with a company)

Cost? -- This is free since we are funded by the University of Mississippi, the State of Mississippi, and the SBA!

Contact: James Hendrick at 1-800-725-7232 (in Mississippi) or 662-915-5001.

If It says "online" in the box below, you can click on it and chat with me directly.  I have added this option to try to provide as much help to you as possible.

IDEA PROTECTION?
I prefer and request that you not disclose details to me!  
This way we both know your idea remains confidential.  I can help you to the next step without knowing your idea.  I usually work with several people per week by telephone who feel that they have been helped, even though no details of the invention were disclosed. 

THE NEXT STEP?
What is your plan to take the invention to the NEXT STEP?  If you don't have a step-by-step plan, what are your chances of your success?  Everyone knows that the chance of success is low without a plan.

Call me at (800) 725-7232 to plan for your next step.
You WILL talk to a live person on campus at the University of Mississippi. 
You WON'T talk to a machine unless it is after 4:30pm Central. 

INVENTION COMPANIES
Thinking about using an invention company?      Read #1 and #2 below first!

1. What does the Federal Trade Comission(FTC) say about Invention Companies? Federal Trade Comission
2. What does the Mississippi SBDC say about invention companies?
   "I am unaware of an invention promotion company that I would recommend."
   "If an invention company thinks your idea is really good, why don't they invest some of their money in your idea?"

Top 10 List for Inventors

Watch our video for inventors. (42 minutes)

Invent within your area of greatest knowledge.
You are more likely to be creating something new if you are exploring an idea in which you are an expert.

Do not get scammed by an invention promotion company.
Read this great information on the InventorED website to learn more.
File a complaint with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center .
File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commision
Can you get your money back?

Do everything FREE first!
Our services are completely free.
If you are not in Mississippi, go to the SBDC website for help in your state.

Do you have the resources to successfully invent?
TIME:  Inventing is extremely hard.  You need lots of spare time to work invent.  Expect to spend 300+ hours on your idea.
MONEY:  Patents generally cost between $2,000 and $25,000 dollars.
PEOPLE: Do you have support people you can talk to?  Experts like us here at the SBDC : 1-800-725-7232 

Think like a business person.
Imagine that you meeting with the business person who may license your invention. 
Switch roles with them and become the business person for a few minutes? 
Since you are a business person, what two things are you interested in?
Does it work?
Does it make me money?

Determine if your invention should be patented.
There are many reasons not to get a patent. 
There are also many reasons to get a patent.

Keep an inventor’s notebook.
Contact us for help on how to keep an inventor's notebook.

Contact us to find out about prototyping, trade shows, financing, and marketing.  (You might also want to watch our marketing videos.)

Don't forget to view our video for inventors!

Missississippi Resources for Inventors

1) Mississippi Patent and Trademark Library In Jackson, MS
Call 1-800-647-7542 and ask for the Patent and Trademark Department
Link to the Mississippi PTDL
2) Society of Mississippi Inventors
Call 1-601-497-7509 and talk to Harmon Moore

3) Mississippi Technology Alliance

4) Notary Public
http://www.sos.state.ms.us/busserv/notaries/NotarySearch.asp

INVENTOR RESEARCH

For Those in Economic Develoopment
To learn more about what challenges the independent inventor, view the following documents:

2007 Survey of Georgia's Independent Inventors (Full-Text)
Authors: Wilkins, Joy; Remias, Chris; Kharoujik, Inna
 http://hdl.handle.net/1853/22434

2007 Case Study Review of Inventor Assistance Organizations (Full-Text)
Authors: Wilkins, Joy; Tucker, Phaedra
http://hdl.handle.net/1853/22823

Recommended Reading for Innovators

1) Innovation: The Five Disciplines For Creating What Customer's Want
ISBN 978-0307336699

2) Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything
ISBN 978-1591841388

Attention Inventors at the University of Mississippi!
If you are an employee of the University of Mississippi and wish to pursue the development of an invention, it is required that you contact the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs on the UM campus.

The Mississippi Method for Inventing

The following steps should be completed in order:

1. Inventor's Notebook
2. Lawyer-Approved Non-Disclosure Agreement
3. Prototype -- $10 and 2hours
4. Search online and magazines for something already out there
5. Determine the value of your invention to a company
   a. Determine Manufacturing Cost
   b. Determine how much someone will pay for it.
   c. Determine how many you will sell. (Sales Volume)
6. Write your pitch.
7. Make functional prototype.
8. Do a thorough patent search. (prior art search)
9. Get a patent using a patent lawyer
10. PITCH TO COMPANIES!