Products created and commercialized by Invention City and its partners have generated over $500,000,000 in retail sales and tens of millions in royalty income. We are actively looking to license new inventions in all categories and all stages of development. When we say "yes" we offer to do it all and pay for everything so that you risk nothing more - we take responsibility for patents, prototypes, engineering, design and marketing, to turn your new invention idea into a manufactured product with a real opportunity for market success. The first step to working with us is our Brutally Honest Review. Click to see the video and read our fine print in bold.
Starting as garage inventors we've had over 25 years of experience creating, developing, licensing and selling inventions to Fortune 100 corporations and start-up companies. This gives us deep first hand knowledge of prior art research, market evaluation, building prototypes, engineering for manufacturing, industrial design, writing and filing US and international patents and trademarks, defending patents and trademarks in the US and internationally, negotiating licensing agreements, managing licensing relationships, sourcing and managing manufacturing and fulfillment, marketing via traditional distribution to mass merchants, chains, individual retailers, direct marketing via DRTV, internet and crowd funding, forming strategic partnerships and launching and selling start-up companies. We don't know of anyone in our industry who's had our breadth and depth of experience. We've enjoyed a lot of success and have learned from failures too. Learn more about us here.
Over the years we've heard from inventors who've wasted thousands, tens of thousands and even hundreds of thousands of dollars pursuing their dreams and failing. Invention City's mission is to help inventors keep money in their pockets, increase their chances of success and commercialize great new product ideas through licensing and partnership deals. The Invention City team is comprised of successful inventors and entrepreneurs who've made their money by bringing new patented products to market. We want to make money with you, not from you. Read about us here .
Lies don't fly.
Choosing Invention City
The difference between Invention City and other invention companies is the success, depth and unique experiences of the Invention City team along with a business model that's structured to profit with inventors rather than from them. Invention City grew out of WorkTools, Inc., (read about WorkTools here.) We come at this business having been bona fide garage inventors and that's where our hearts remain. These links explain:
We believe that inventors should do as much as they can on their own and then, when informed and ready, seek help and advice from providers who genuinely care. Our Brutally Honest Review is a great way to get professional feedback and a real chance for success. A visit to the info booth is a good way to get started. Be careful about disclosing proprietary and confidential information to anyone. We hope that your visit is productive. Please visit us often and let us know how we can make things better.
Invention City provides inventors and new product idea developers with information, resources and help for each stage of the inventing process. Use the links above to learn how to:
Promoting your invention requires you to provide content on many different venues. Should you use Chat GPT to write that content for you?Chat GPT does a great job of writing a rough first draft and can inspire you to write something that has the punch needed to break through the massive clutter of online content. But the punch needs to come from you. Use AI for first drafts, not final. Chat GPT and other AI generated content will not deliver the engagement you need to succeed. It lacks the human experience, it lacks the actual experience, that can make the ...
Inventors regularly ask us about how developed their invention should be when submitting for a Brutally Honest Review (BHR):Do I need to have a provisional patent application (PPA) filed? No. Submissions are covered by our Confidentiality Agreement. A Confidentiality Agreement can be enforced; a PPA can not be.Do I need a prototype? No. We love prototypes. But they can be expensive. One reason for the BHR is to determine if the expense of a prototype is justified.It's just an idea, is that ok?YES! It's great to get professional feedback (and a possible deal offer) at the earliest possible stage. It's ...
Is Your Invention a Cabbage or a Truffle?Almost every new product has people who will buy it. But what does it cost to harvest them? What does it cost to: Make them aware of your new product and then,Convert them into a buyer?1 and 2 together are the "conversion cost." If the cost is too high, the product is unprofitable, even if there are people who want to buy it. Thinking about conversion cost got me to thinking about cabbages and truffles. Cabbages are grown in neat rows and can be harvested by machines for minimal cost per head of ...
The question looks simple. But most inventors do a terrible job answering it. As a rule, their answers are too long, too complicated and miss the reason the question is being asked in the first place.Ideally you can summarize the most important aspect of your idea in a short headline with a single image and a caption. After that you can add details with bullet points and text. A short video is even better. SHORT is the key. Beyond introducing the idea of your invention and why it’s special, your answer should vary depending on who is asking the question ...
Patents are expensive, complicated and always cover far less than you'd like.Short answer: If your invention is successful it will be knocked off and you will want ways of fighting the knockoffs.1. A trademark on your product's name is inexpensive and MUCH easier and less expensive to defend than a patent.2. Copyright (for images, instructions, graphics) is helpful and also inexpensive, but not quite as easy and cheap to defend.3. Design patents protect a product's look. Easy to get, not too expensive, but only helpful if the look is unique.4. Utility patents are expensive to get, complicated, almost always have ...
