Monthly Educational Seminars
Every month, NEI hosts educational seminars on a wide variety of topics related to commercializing a product. We host these seminars virtually and in-person. From prototyping to intellectual property to videography and marketing to licensing, these seminars offer excellent insight into and understanding of the world of independent inventing.
Don’t miss out on these informative seminars. Visit our Events page and click the “subscribe to calendar” button to stay up to date.
Strategic Storytelling: Building Your Brand through Effective Marketing
Guest speaker Todd Domke speaks to us about the importance of storytelling for inventors and innovators. Todd discusses how to craft compelling narratives that resonate with audiences and elevate your brand's visibility. As a former journalist, speechwriter, advertising producer, campaign director, political analyst, business strategist, author, and public relations consultant Todd draws from his deep experience in nearly every field of communications. Learn how your invention's story can become its greatest asset.
September 28, 2023 Jules Pieri and the Role of Innovation in Product Development
Co-founder & Former CEO of The Grommet 🔹 Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs (2013) 🔹 Goldman Sachs’s 100 Most Interesting Entrepreneurs (2014) 🔹 Entrepreneur in Residence Emeritus at Harvard Business School 🔹 Member at G20 Ventures 🔹 Investing Partner at XFactor Ventures
From her roots as an industrial designer to her executive roles at iconic brands like Keds, Stride Rite, and Playskool, Jules’s journey is a true testament to innovation and entrepreneurship. Join us on September 28th for a conversation filled with invaluable insights and visionary strategies that have shaped the business landscape.
August 14, 2023 How to Increase Your Chances of Licensing Your Product
Sit down with us as we speak with Michael Miller. Michael is the Former Director of Product Partnerships for NCH Corporation where he led the Product Partnership Program for three companies within NCH corporation: Hero Pet Brands, Plumbing Products Group, and LSP company. Brands include Danco, Danco Next, Go Bidet, Disposal Genie, RediTape, MJSI, Rapid Fit, Pull stop Box, and Aqua- Flo. NCH products are carried at Walmart, Home Depot, Target, Lowes, Amazon, True Value, Menards, Petco, Pet Smart, KB Homes, ACE, Bed Bath and Beyond, QVC, and more.
Michael currently works as an independent consultant developing open innovation programs for several large consumer products companies. He is also an inventor himself, having licensed multiple products.
May 17, 2023 Fast Tracking the Patent Process
NEI hosted the USPTO in discussing their exciting new First-Time Filer Expedited Examination Pilot Program in person at UMass Lowell Innovation Hub Haverhill.
This pilot program is available to applicants with “micro entity status” (gross income of $212,352 or less). And it will particularly benefit inventors in historically under-served geographic and economic areas.
Typically, a patent applicant will wait upwards of two years before receiving a patent examiner’s written notice of findings (“office action”) on a patent application. With this new First-Time Filer Expedited Examination Pilot Program, most applicants will receive their office action in less than one month. By lowering time barriers as well as application fees for independent inventors who might otherwise be unable to participate in the patent system, this initiative will greatly accelerate a key milestone in the commercialization of their innovations.
Brannon Smith, Legal Advisor in the USPTO’s Office of Patent Legal Administration, will explain program requirements and how to apply. There will be time for Q&A, as well. More information about this program can be found on the USPTO website.
May 8, 2023 Prototyping & Manufacturing with Xometry
Xometry is one of the largest on demand manufacturers in the U.S. Xometry is a custom manufacturing shop offering everything from 3D printing to CNC machining to injection molding and more. Xometry is unique in its ability to offer instant quoting via its patented AI based quoting platform.
Join us as we discuss on demand custom manufacturing and Xometry’s instant quoting capabilities with Greg Paulsen, Director of Applications Engineering and Marketing at Xometry.
March 27, 2023 Turning Your Idea into a Product- GoProto and Custom On Demand Manufacturing
We spoke with GoProto about some of the custom manufacturer's methods for taking an idea and turning it into a finished product. We discussed both additive technologies as well as conventional manufacturing.
September 13, 2022 HomeTalk Radio Features a New Independent Inventor Every Week!
Rita has teamed up with Michael King, host of HomeTalk, the #1 Home Improvement radio program in the U.S. with over one million listeners. Rita will host a one hour segment every week to feature independent inventors and their successes and challenges.
September 26, 2022 Elizabeth Dougherty, Eastern Outreach Director of the USPTO
Elizabeth is a senior official at the USPTO with over 28 years of experience as a patent examiner, legal advisor and administrator at the USPTO. As the Eastern Regional Outreach Director of the USPTO, she offers a wealth of experience and knowledge to the independent inventor community.
August 8, 2022 Free Support for Independent Inventors: How the UIA Can Help You
We sat down with Carmine Denisco, founder of manufacturing company Earmark Sourcing, and President of the United Inventors Association (UIA), www.uiausa.com, a 501C3 nonprofit with over 20,000 active members. Carmine volunteers his time to help inventors from around the world, connecting them with the right resources and offering them education to help with their own personal and professional development.
Key links:
-United Inventors Association (UIA): www.uiausa.org
-Secret Sequence of Inventing: https://uiausa.org/podcast-category/inventors-launchpad/
-Upcoming UIA Event at the National Hardware Show: https://inventorsummit.zohobackstage.com/Inventorsummit
-UIA Youtube: https://uiausa.org/uia-videos/
-Carmine Denisco's manufacturing company: https://www.earmarksourcing.com/
An Invented Life: Alan Amron's Journey as a Visionary Inventor
We spoke with Alan Amron, famous inventor and holder of 40 U.S. patents. Alan spoke about some of his most products including:
-Battery-operated water guns for Larami, Blue Box, LJN, Tyco, Buddy L, Coleco, and Remco toys
-Air pressurized water guns for Trendmaster
-Bubbles and water sprinkler for Fisher-Price
-Photo wallet for Nikon Camera
-First Down Laser Line for NFL football
-Press-on Memo sticky notes today known to the whole world as Post-it notes by 3M.
Read Alan's book here: https://issuu.com/alanamron/docs/ebook_an_invented_life_amron_proof
July 18, 2022 The Story of Patents- What you Need to Know
Founder of Van Dyke Intellectual Property Law, Ray shares advice based on over 30 years of experience in intellectual property law. As a practitioner, he counsels clients on IP and business matters – advising them on strategies, the preparation and prosecution of patent and trademark matters, the licensing and leveraging of IP assets, and litigation of same in the district courts and the ITC. His clientele come from many technological areas and include domestic and foreign, small and large firms and companies.
"Wait for No One!" How One Inventor took over Forty Products to Market and Became #1 in His Market
Corky Newcomb is USA’s # 1 Sports Inventor. Newcomb is a prolific inventor who has brought 40+ products to market. His products have been endorsed by Hall of Famers and are used throughout the MLB.