On September 16, 2011, the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA),also called the Patent Reform Act of 2011, was enacted into law. President Obama stated that this “long overdue reform is vital to our ongoing efforts to modernize America’s patent laws.” The changes mostly harmonize US patent law with the rest of the world.

A major change is the shift from a first-to-invent system to a first-to-file system. The first-to-file system, which goes into effect on March 16, 2013, reveals a few twists relevant to patent protection in the United States. First, the inventor who files a later application is permitted to contest inventorship on a previously filed application only if it is shown that the subject matter disclosed in the previous application was derived from the inventor who files the later application. This occurs through a derivation proceeding, which replaces interference proceedings. Second, inventors still have a one-year grace period during which the inventor’s own disclosures or disclosures of others who derived their invention from the inventor may not be used as prior art if they occurred within 12 months prior to the effective filing date of the invention.

NEW TELEVISION SERIES SEEKING ENTREPRENEURS WHO ARE READY TO TURN THEIR CONCEPTS INTO MILLIONS


!The Casting Firm, Oxygen & FremantleMedia (American Idol, America’s Got Talent), along with a team of investors and self-made moguls, are searching to discover the nation’s most brilliant entrepreneurs!

• Do you have an innovative business concept, product, invention, or startup company – but you need financial backing and guidance to jumpstart your venture?
• Does your product or business have potential to be the next million or billion-dollar idea?
• Are you an aspiring entrepreneur with a brilliant new product line or concept but you need an angel investor to help get it off the ground or take it to the next level?
• Most importantly – DO YOU WANT THE CHANCE TO QUIT YOUR DAY JOB AND PURSUE YOUR TRUE PASSION?

“THE INVESTMENT CLUB” is an exciting new entrepreneurial series that will feature passionate millennials ready to make their mark in entrepreneurial history, give them the opportunity to pitch their concept to some of the country’s most successful business leaders, and showcase their company or product in front of millions!

If selected, our team of self-made moguls will mentor and guide you along the way!

Whether you have a start up, an operating business, or just a fantastic prototype and business plan, we want to hear from you!

TO SUBMIT EMAIL THE FOLLOWING TO: CASTME@THECASTINGFIRM.COM

1. Full name and age
2. Phone number & email address
3. A brief description of your business or product
4. Photos and/or links to your product or business
5. A photo of yourself
6. Why do you think you’d be great for the show?

 ***All applicants must be legal US residents.

It would seem that with all the business and financial experience amongst the six sharks on the popular reality show Shark Tank–a show that features business pitches from entrepreneurs who are looking for an investor–they would be able to sniff out the entrepreneurs who have potential every time. Alas this is not the case, and there are many incidences on Shark Tank where an entrepreneur failed to make a deal with any of the sharks, but then went on to become a huge success. 

James Martin and Copa Di Vino James Martin pitched his Oregon winery, Copa Di Vino, to the sharks as well as a patented glass that comes with a peel-off top that is meant for single servings. O’Leary was the first shark to be interested in James, but only liked his invention, which he thought could be marketable to other alcohol distributers. O’Leary offered a financial deal of $600,000 for a 51% share of just Martin’s patented technology and not the winery. Martin refused this offer and walked away from the shark’s table, venturing out to make Copa Di Vino and his patent a success, which he most definitely did. James came back the next season of Shark Tank when he turned a $500,000 a year product into $5 million, but once again came out of the shark tank without a deal. It doesn’t seem that Martin needs one however, as his company is projected to be sold for several hundred million sometime in the future. 

Donny McCall and Invis-A-Rack Donny McCall appeared on Shark Tank in season three with an invention called Invis-A-Rack, which is a folding cargo system designed for pickup trucks. Although the sharks liked his design, they did not like his implementation, and insisted that he outsource the manufacturing of the invention to increase his profits. McCall did not agree with the sharks and wanted to keep his product all American, which ultimately lost him the deal. However that’s where McCall’s bad luck ended.  After he appeared on Shark Tank, McCall transformed from making a $75,000 profit during a year and a half period to making the same profit in three months. McCall went on to make a deal with a corporation in Iowa called DeeZee to create and distribute Invis-A-Rack. 

Shawn Davis and CBS Foods, Inc.Shawn Davis came on Shark Tank in season two with a company he calls CBS Foods, INC., as well as his flagship product: the Original Shrimp Burger. He failed to get the $200,000 investment he was asking for; however, after his stint on Shark Tank, Davis went from making about $30,000 in profit to making almost $10 million. He did this in part by securing over $500,000 in financial investments from private investors who saw him on the show and liked his brand. 

Abby Jordan, Becky App and E-Creamery Abby Jordan and Becky App brought their idea of an online ice cream store to the shark table. Although the sharks like the idea and loved the ice cream, the two women failed to get a deal. All was not lost however, as right after the Shark Tank episode that featured E-Creamery was aired, the sales of E-Creamery ice cream jumped through the roof. By the end of the weekend E-Creamery had 75,000 new visitors, and has grown exponentially since then. 

Erika Welsh, Keeley Tillotson and Wild Squirrel Nut Butter Erika Welsh and Keeley Tillotson pitched Wild Squirrel Nut Butter in May of 2012. Their custom peanut butter line was a hit, and Barbara Corcoran put up a $50,000 investment for a 40% equity stake.  A few months down the line however, the deal went sour, as Barbara Corcoran wanted to run the business a different way than what Welsh and Tillotson had in mind. Although the deal fell through Wild Squirrel Nut Butter is making efforts to stand on its own and no hard feelings between the entrepreneurs and Barbara materialized. 

Susie Taylor and Bibbitec Susie Taylor is a stay-at-home mom from South Florida who turned entrepreneur when she invented an improved bib, and created the company Bibbitec. She went on Shark Tank asking for a $40,000 investment for a 14% stake in her company. The sharks were not so keen about her margins however, as it cost $15 to make an individual bib, because it was produced in the U.S., and Taylor used very high-quality material. The sharks were also not satisfied with her price point and sales strategy, and so they turned her away without a deal. This was a blessing in disguise however, as Shark Tank introduced Taylor’s product to the public. Soon after the show aired, orders for the stain-resistant bib came rolling in, and within the first 48-hours Taylor made about $21,000 in sales, and was contacted by numerous private investors. 

Pat McCarthy and Liquid Money Pat McCarthy is the proud inventor of a fragrance he claims smells exactly like money. He brought ‘His and Hers Liquid Money Fragrances’ to the shark table, asking for a $100,000 investment for a 5% share in his company. The sharks saw this valuation as extremely high, as it put his company at a worth of $2 million. This didn’t make any sense to the sharks as McCarthy had only invested $50,000 of his own money into his product, and only received close to $50,000 in revenue. Daymond John made a counter offer of $100,000 for 80% of the company, which Pat immediately refused, leading to a no deal for the liquid money business. Although McCarthy’s valuation was way off, after the show aired he has managed to put his Liquid Money product into a number of retail stores, and is selling his product at $42 a bottle. 

Jared Joyce and 5-Minute Furniture 5 Minute Furniture did not fail to get a deal once or even twice, but appeared on Shark Tank a grand total of three times without getting a deal. Jared Joyce presented the sharks with a line of furniture that does not require screws or nails to assemble, in fact the furniture is so simple to assemble that it does not require any instructions, which makes it very competitive in the furniture market. Joyce claims that anyone can assemble his furniture in 5 minutes or less. The first time that he appeared on Shark Tank, Joyce asked for a $250,000 investment for a 25% share of his company. Both Lori Greiner and Kevin O’Leary turned this offer down, and instead made a counter offer of $250,000 for the rights to 100% of the company. Joyce did not sell out, and instead went on to license his product. After failing to get a financial deal from any sharks for the third time, Joyce was able to secure a private investment from Edison Nation for 50% of his company. 

Brenda Coffman and Blondie’s Cookies Brenda Coffman tried to appeal to the sharks’ sweet tooth by bringing a batch of her famous cookies for them to try. Although her grandmotherly charm melted the hearts of the sharks, her deal of $200,000 for a 3% stake in the company was ridiculously high. Although Coffman has twelve stores in Florida and Indiana, and had made over $2 million in sales the previous year, she was in debt by $800,000 and was hoping to bring Blondie’s Cookies to a higher level of success. However, the valuation was simply too high, and none of the sharks took the cookie bait. Coffman didn’t let this halt her success, and her appearance on Shark Tank spurred online sales and her cookies’ popularity. Coffman plans to open more stores soon. 

Ben Wood and ViewSport ViewSport is an innovative clothing line designed by Ben Wood that has a sweat-activated design made for athletes. On his appearance on Shark Tank, Wood ran into some bad luck when he accidently sprayed the wrong side of one of his shirts, leading to the message, which only appears when wet, not being displayed to the sharks. This as well as the fact that the sharks didn’t seem to like Wood’s personality, led to him not getting a deal. However, that didn’t stop the U.S. Navy, Detroit Pistons, Iron Man Competition, and many others from showing interest in his product after the show aired. 

Nick Larosa, Penilopee Larosa and the Instant Lift The Larosa’s created a very useful invention to get rid of the appearance of cellulite by lifting and taping the excess fat around the stomach, thighs, and even arms. They asked for a $100,000 investment for a 25% stake in the company. Although the business was solid (they sold $75,000 worth in 5 months), the sharks felt cheated, because the Larosa’s turned out to have a lot more patents than just the Instant Lift. The Larosa’s came out of the tank without a deal, but took away a lot of great business advice from the sharks. Namely, they took the shark’s advice in combining all of their patents together into one brand, which they entitled ‘The Skinnies Instant Lifts’. 

Gary DeJohn and Vinamor With Dejohn’s invention, entitled Vinamor, anyone can easily breathe a glass of wine almost instantly. Vinamor is an aerator system for wines that sits on top of an individual glass, and covers a greater surface area than traditional aerotors, and can also pour out exact portions of wine.  For their own personal reasons the sharks did not buy in to Dejohn’s invention, but this did little to slow the progress of Vinamor. After the show aired, Dejohn’s phone blew up with investors who were interested in Vinamor.  Dejohn was able to find a better manufacturing deal and he can now sell Vinamor for a much lower cost than what was originally priced. 

Paul d’Auriac, Debbie Brooks and Debbie Brooks Handbag Collection Debbie Brooks and Paul d’Auriac are the designers of Debbie Brooks Handbag Collection, which is a versatile handbag that can take many forms. The sharks admired the quality of the handbags, but were wary of the numbers. Brooks and d’Auriac asked for $540,000 from the sharks for a 20%, stake in the company which values their company at $2.7 million. The sharks also did not like the high price of the handbags at $288 a pop and they all were out rather early in the game. The woman didn’t let that stop them from shining, and went on to create other products including phone covers and charm bracelets. The Debbie Brooks collection was even recently featured on Extra. 

Scotty Olsen and SkyRide Technology Scotty Olson is the inventor of the futuristic technology that enables a person to fly above ground using a form of human transport that is powered by the rider. This fuses both exercise and fun together into one interesting package. Olsen, already an accomplished inventor who conceived the roller blades a quarter of a century ago, created the Sky Ride Farm located in Waconia, MN to demonstrate his invention’s capabilities. Olsen hoped to get the financial backing from the sharks to put his invention in ski resorts as well as other tourist attractions. Although the sharks were extremely impressed with Olsen, they were not willing to put down $3 million of their own money, which is what Olsen was asking for. Although Olsen came away from the Shark Tank empty handed, he currently has multiple bids for his technology from resorts and clubs around the world. 

Tereson Dupuy and Fuzzy Bunz Fuzzy Bunz is a cloth baby diaper that has been successful thus far, making the inventor, Tereson Dupuy, $3.9 million in sales in one year alone, and $23 million total since she began her business. Fuzzy Bunz are sustainable and environmentally friendly diapers that are also very cute. The problem that the Sharks had with Fuzzy Bunz is that although Dupuy made $3.9 million in sales, she only got about $20,000 of that from pure profit, which makes the profit margin .5% of gross sales. Dupuy claims that her profit margin problem is due to a company in China stealing her product and selling it for much cheaper even though she has a patent, which has taken away about 70% of her business. Unfortunately, the sharks thought this was too much of a liability, and so backed out of any financial deal. Dupuy has stated that she learned a lot from the sharks even without a deal, and she has made major changes in her strategy to make sure her patent is safe.

7 GREAT TIPS BEFORE YOU GO ON SHARK TANK

This blog article is the second one on ABC Television’s prime time hit, Shark Tank.  Your Invention Guru will pull back the show curtains for you to learn some valuable lessons.

Shark Tank gives unknown inventors/entrepreneurs the chance to make their pitch for investment money to five rich people known as Sharks.  The Sharks are from different backgrounds and include: Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, Kevin O’Leary, Mark Cuban and either Barbara Corcoran or Lori Greiner.  All are self-made multi-million or billionaires who will invest their own money if they like the business opportunity.  Brutal honesty and fast-paced negotiations are played out on national television.

Because the Sharks are investing their own money, the deal has to make real business sense. Barbara Corcoran’s philosophy is: “If something solves a big problem and takes a little bit of money to get it out there — these are the businesses that always make money.”  Daymond John has a successful fashion and entertainment background, but will pass on even the best opportunity if the entrepreneurs are not focused and business-like.  Kevin O’Leary is primarily interested in products that he can license to maximize value. Robert Herjavec likes to invest in things he knows something about.  When Lori Greiner replaces Corcoran, she is on the lookout for inventions that fit with her QVC home shopping show.  Finally, Mark Cuban is the most outspoken and the one who seems to have the broadest interest. Just like any investment deal, the Sharks will negotiate hard to get themselves the best deal they can get.

Although Shark Tank, the television show, is mass entertainment looking for ratings, there are valuable lessons for inventors and entrepreneurs to learn:

1. GET YOUR VALUATIONS RIGHT.  Know how much money you need, what you will do with the cash and what percentage you are willing to give up.
It is typical for a Shark to challenge a presenter by saying:  So you want $100,000 for 10% of your business, which means you think your business is worth $1million dollars.  There’s a problem – the numbers don’t work.  Your sales are less than the $100,000 you’re asking for.Investors deal in the real world where “potential” has very little value.  It is what you have done for me lately.

.2. FEELINGS HAVE NO PLACE IN BUSINESS.
Investing one’s own money in someone else’s business is strictly about making a profit.  Making a pitch saying that this means everything to you and your family means nothing to an investor.  Know exactly how the money will be used to make the investor money.

3.  THE NUMBERS MUST MAKE SENSE.
It is not a real business unless the numbers work.  Most retail products use a factor of 5 from manufacture to retail.  That means that a product with a realistic $9.95 retail price must be mass produced for $2.00 or less to have a chance in the marketplace.  Mass produced means that the inventor cannot work for free in order to make the numbers work.
.
4. KNOW YOUR BUSINESS.
You need to be an expert in your business.  Know everything about it and be capable of answering both the easy and tough questions.  Most importantly: Be able to sell your product yourself and explain how an investor will make their money back with a profit.

5. HOW IS YOUR INVENTION UNIQUE AND IS IT PROTECTED?
A product that is unique in the marketplace has the best chance for success.  Once the uniqueness is identified, get the proper legal protection, which could be a patent, a trademark or a copyright.  If a patent is the choice, don’t go cheap and rely upon a provisional patent or on any patent that you wrote and filed yourself.

6.   REEL IN A SHARK WITH A COMPELLING STORY.
If the facts bait the hook, a compelling story can reel a Shark into your boat.  Have your “elevator pitch” ready, all of your facts down cold, and put a pretty bow around it all with a compelling story that will motivate a Shark to invest. An interesting story can set the stage for closing the deal and getting the needed investment money at favorable terms.  There is a popular sales phrase, “facts tell and stories sell.” This was the case for Kevin and Melissa Kiernan who pitched their product The Last Lid to the Sharks.  The product is a replacement fabric lid for garbage cans to keep animals out.  Even though the numbers weren’t exactly perfect, Daymond John made a deal anyway because he bought the story the Kiernans told.

7.   IT’S NOT A DEAL UNTIL THE MONEY CLEARS THE BANK.
Although Shark Tank television show goes from a new product pitch by an unknown inventor to getting investment capital, or not, in about 15 minutes, what you see on television isn’t always what you get.  There may be smiles and hugs all around, but “due diligence” and transferring money lurks once the cameras stop rolling.  Many investment deals fall apart on Shark Tank as well as in the real world.  Just about anything can derail the train.  There can be differences between inventor and investor, or something was found not be as initially presented, or simple “buyer’s remorse” can be the culprit.  One celebrated case involved Mark Cuban offering $1.25 million dollars up front, plus 7.5% royalties and a 6-figure salary to Jeff Stroope, the inventor of Hyconn, for a 100% interest.  On TV Cuban outbid both O’Leary and Herjavec to get the deal, but something happened on the way to the bank.  Neither Cuban nor Stroope are saying what made the deal go south; however, it is clear that they parted ways without Stroope getting paid.

This will change the future of energy as we know it. The first step in building infrastucture to create a true economy of scale to support this disruptive technology will require all major auto and energy manufactuers to work together . Its exciting times, to save money and create a better world to live in.

Will Facebook go the way of Yahoo? Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel thinks so.

During the dot-com boom, Yahoo reached a $128 billion market cap on massive, fast-growing advertising revenues. Then, when the bubble burst, Yahoo's market cap shrank to less than $10 billion.


The reason: The companies buying Yahoo's ads weren't traditional brand advertisers — the kinds of companies that bought TV and magazine ads. They were dot-coms themselves. They were paying inordinate sums to become Yahoo's official partners in various sectors, from greeting cards to pet stores to travel.

The money they were spending on ads wasn't coming from their own revenues, but from investments made by venture capitalists.

When the bubble burst and venture-capital funding dried up for startups, Yahoo's source of revenues went away too.

In an email leaked in the recent Sony hack, Spiegel says he thinks a similar fate awaits Facebook.

He believes Facebook's ad revenues are also overdependent on venture-backed startups buying traffic and users. Only instead of buying links on the Yahoo homepage, they're buying app install ads.

Spiegel thinks that if venture-capital funding for startups dries up — and he believes it might, when the Fed stops printing money and inflating public tech stocks — Facebook will suddenly, and violently, shrink.

"Facebook has continued to perform in the market despite declining user engagement and pullback of brand advertising dollars — largely due to mobile advertising performance, especially app install advertisements," he writes.

"This is a huge red flag because it indicates that sustainable brand dollars have not yet moved to Facebook mobile platform and mobile revenue growth has been driven by technology companies (many of which are VC funded).

"VC dollars are being spent on user acquisition despite unknown [lifetime value] of users — a recipe for disaster.

"This props up Facebook's share price and continues to justify VC investment in technology products based on abnormally large market cap companies (i.e., "If this company attracts just 5% of users that FB has, it will be HUGE" — fuels spend on user acquisition as user growth is tied to values).

"When the market for tech stocks cools, Facebook market cap will plummet, access to capital for unproven businesses will become inaccessible, and ad spend on user acquisition will rapidly decrease — compounding problems for Facebook and driving stock even lower."

Spiegel's views on Facebook are unusually bearish. He doesn't seem to appreciate how many traditional advertisers are switching their spending from TV, magazines, and billboards to Facebook. They are spending more than a billion dollars marketing on Facebook every quarter.

At Business Insider's annual conference earlier this month, we asked a Target executive which she'd cut first: TV ad spending or Facebook spending. In an upset for Facebook, she said it would be a really hard choice. Ultimately, she said that TV is more important for establishing Target's brand, but that Facebook is a crucial and big part of the company's marketing mix. She said she'd cut spending everywhere else (except TV) before cutting Facebook.

It's also important to understand the context around Spiegel's email. He was sending a note to an investor in his company not long after he rejected a $3 billion acquisition offer from Facebook. It was in his interest at the time to assure this investor that Snapchat had a better future as an independent company than it did inside Facebook.

All that said, it is true that Facebook is at least somewhat dependent on venture-capital-backed startups spending money to buy users who may not prove to become valuable customers in the long term. The Wall Street Journal's Mike Shields reports that, generally, Facebook's app-install ad customers are startups that make mobile games.

The problem for Facebook investors is that the company will not say how dependent it is on those types of ad buyers.

During Facebook's last conference call with investors and analysts, COO Sheryl Sandberg was asked how dependent the company is on mobile app ads sold to "developers" — code for venture-backed app makers.

She said, "Our growth in mobile ads is very broad based. It's across all market or segments, and it's across all of our different ad formats, and we talk about our mobile ad business growing. Mobile app ads are a small part of that, that's growing in line with our total business.

"The other thing that I think people get a little confused about is who is using mobile app ads," she said. "I think commonly when you think about mobile app ads, people often think about developers, and developers are moving them, and we're pleased we're able to help them grow. But they're also being used by some of the largest branders and marketers in the world."

That's a somewhat informative answer from Sandberg. She's saying Facebook investors shouldn't feel over-exposed to the venture-capital market. But it's an incomplete answer. She should tell investors exactly how exposed they are. Facebook should, as soon as possible, begin to break out how much of its revenues are generated by app install ads.

Nicholas Carlson is the author of "Marissa Mayer and the Fight to Save Yahoo!"

The Samsung Gear S is the Korean company’s latest smartwatch that, unlike its new Sony and Asus rivals, shuns Google’s Android Wear in favour of its own operating system: Tizen.

It’s a bold move from Samsung given that it also has a contender in the Android Wear marketplace in the shape of the Gear Live and, as such, it’s a clear indication that the smartwatch genre is still very much in its infancy and manufacturer’s are covering the bases as they find their feet.

But is it a move that should excite early wearable tech adopters? We think so, read on to find out why.

http://www.wareable.com/samsung/samsung-gear-s-review

The city of Miami broke ground on a new film studio today. The Florida Film & Television Center will offer 70,000 square feet of studio space including two sound stages, an onsite editing suite and accessory storage room. The studio will be operated by EUE Screen Gems, a national production company that operates similar sites in New York, Georgia and North Carolina. The massive complex is meant to lure national and international production companies to the city's sunny shores.

Miami's Omni Community Redevelopment Agency gave final approval on the plan in March. The Agency has promised up to $11.5 million for construction of the studio which City of Miami Commissioner, Marc Sarnoff, hopes "will go a long way in securing Miami's status as a top destination for film and television production." The city also hopes the studio will bring more jobs to the area, something the Mayor and City Commissioners reiterated in today's groundbreaking.

See also: The Top Ten Movies Shot in Miami

The studio is the centerpiece of a planned revitalization of the newly named "Media and Entertainment District" along 14th Street, west of the Adrienne Arscht Center. In addition to the $11.5 million for construction, Miami is planning on spending another $6 million to improve the neighborhood's infrastructure--fixing roads, widening sidewalks and rerouting water mains.

This isn't Miami's first attempt to steal some of Los Angeles' thunder, there are currently two large-scale film studios in the city. Greenwich Studios in North Miami is the oldest; formerly the Ivan Tors Studio, the iconic Miami movie Flipper was filmed there in 1962. And The Hollywood Reporter notes that M3Studios has been active in city since 2003. Despite their presence - and the major tax breaks offered by the state of Florida - Miami has never really established itself as a major film site.

The project hasn't come without some vocal detractors. Miami filmmaker Billy Corben told Cultist in March that, "the space is complete unfeasible and unusable. The demand in the market doesn't exist. It's right in the flight path of planes taking off and landing at Miami International Airport." Other local filmmakers also wondered about the likelihood that the promise of jobs would pay off.

It's certainly a bold gamble for the city with a high price tag. The Florida Film and Television Center is scheduled to open at the end of summer 2015.

Plans for a thorium nuclear reactor have been finished meaning the world's first should be built by 2016.

Unlike current nuclear power stations, that use uranium, the thorium plant won't use a material that can be weaponised. It would also mean there is much less danger from a meltdown. Thorium is also more abundant than uranium so it will be cheaper and easier to supply.

The safer material means it can be supplied at a lower cost with far fewer security needs. Security measures are actually the most expensive part about building current nuclear power stations. Thorium reactors, on the other hand, don't require special containment buildings and can even be set up in normal structures.

The proposed thorium reactor is made to run by itself without any need for intervention. It will only need to be checked by a person once every four months.

The plan is to build a 300MW reactor by 2016, which should have a runtime life of 100 years. India's Thorium Energy Program, which is behind the system, aims to expand from the prototype so that 30 per cent of India's energy comes from Thorium reactors by 2050.

Since thorium reactors are far safer than current nuclear reactors there has been talk of minaturising them so a $1000 unit could power a ten house street for a lifetime. While that sounds exciting the reality is still a long way off.

Invention Company Scams, One of the most frustrating steps throughout in the invention process is when you reach the stage of actually getting a product to market. Many new inventors lack the funds to get further than the prototype, or perhaps they do not possess the knowledge of how to get the product from their living room to the shelves. Unfortunately, many so-called “invention help” companies take advantage of fledgling inventors and promise them success while taking their money and, ultimately, delivering nothing. Invention submission companies, when honestly and fairly operated, can be a great help to the inventor. They get a product to market and split the profits with the inventor – giving an inventor the capital they need to keep inventing. However, many of these companies are scams.

, There are many fast talking invention marketing firms that prey on the hopes of inventors, make big promises and charge thousands of dollars with a promise to evaluate, develop, patent and market their inventions, and then only send out unsolicited mailers to a random list of manufacturers that are never opened. 

These fraudulent invention marketing companies give the honest ones a very bad name. The way they work is by offering the inventor a marketability analysis that touts of high returns if only the inventor moves to the next step which costs upwards of $6,000-$18,000.  It is very sad to hear of the good-intentioned inventors who were ripped-off by these companies.  So, please beware of these companies (listed below).

How do they work? 

Step 1: These invention marketing companies usually charge a fee of $400-$800 up front to "evaluate" an idea.

Step 2: Then they returns a glowing glossy report stating that the idea is immensely valuable and the market is vast. Usually, 99% of the report is "boilerplate", and only the title of the invention and a page or two in the "search report" describing the invention in broad terms differs from one report to the next.

Step 3: The company then usually requests a fee of anywhere from $6,000 to $18,000, for which they promise to:

a. File a patent application. Unfortunately, most of these companies only file design patent applications, which are generally not appropriate for most inventions or, worse, only a Provisional Application or Disclosure Document. The latest scam is to file a "picture patent" - a utility patent, but so narrow that it is essentially worthless.

b. Display your invention at trade shows. Usually, these are "trade shows of invention marketers," and you can imagine how little use that is. The only people who will attend are other invention marketing firms and sometimes other hopeful inventors.

c. Include your invention in a brochure sent to manufacturers, or to produce flyers and/or videos. Usually, the brochure is a mishmash of assorted inventions whose inventors have paid the company, and is sent to all sorts of unrelated manufacturers. Most manufacturers tend to simply throw these away without looking at them.

In addition to the substantial up-front fees, these invention marketing firms quote a sliding scale of royalties, with the royalty percentage based on the up-front fee (pay more up front, they take less in royalties). They can afford to be generous in these royalty rates. Although these usually look like a good deal to the inventor, in fact they are irrelevant - the company makes its money from the up-front fees, not from royalties they know will never materialize. 

Suspicious communication: If an invention company is constantly pressuring you to get started right away, or perhaps being vague when you ask about their success rate or previously successful inventions, you may want to look elsewhere. Companies that recommend the wrong patent type, promote any idea, ask you to send your ideas via mail, send pre-signed confidentiality agreements, refuse to list the total cost of services upfront or have conflicting business addresses, are generally up to no good.

Before paying any money to a company that claims to be able to help you get your invention to market, do your research! Call your local Better Business Bureau, check with the Federal Trade Commission, and search for invention company scams online. Very few patents ever make money, so invention companies tend to be very selective as to who they will work with. Your best bet is to look for a company that offers a lifetime or yearly membership fee that allows you to submit your ideas for the company to review and give you an honest critique. This will save you the trouble of investing in a bad idea to begin with.

Resources :

As some professional inventors with their own little development labs may tell your good ideas alone are a dime a dozen, implementing it and proving their is actually a demand for a practical version is the greater challenge. 

Many inventor assistance businesses have a reputation for being predatory and "pleased with" ever ideal that's submitted, they too often will run you through the whole process even if they don't believe it has any real chances of success. 


One of the first patent steps is to do a search, (a surprising number of ideas have already been patented) you can use the U.S. patent office: 
http://patft.uspto.gov/ 

Some invention service related links I had: 
Comprehensive article on Invention services by Patent Attorneys 
http://www.bpmlegal.com/pinvmktg.html 
They describe the "The American Inventors Protection Act of 1999" which requires these services to provide a disclosure of their success rate details. 

http://www.wini2.com/ Unbiased evaluations Invention Evaluation $250, Product Assessment $270 
"Invent Land" in business for 18 years http://davison.com 

A complaint and company response. 
http://www.getpayback.com/inventions-inv... 
http://www.complaintsboard.com/byurl/dav... complaints 
http://www.similarsitesearch.com/alterna...


Find a similar story on this blog 

LIST OF INVENTION PROMOTION COMPANIES CLICK HERE

Sharks Tear Check Up and Walk Away From Deal

 It's hard to imagine anyone going on a Show like the Shark Tank and getting a deal with 3 very successful investors, only to have the check torn-up and the very last minute. You jump through all the hoops to get on the Show, successfully make a deal and pass due diligence, go to the closing and completely blow the deal. If you want to learn how NOT to deal with the Sharks, you might like to watch this video with Kevin O'Leary and Robert Herjevic in the first season of the Dragons Den filmed in Canada. 

I had to watch this video a few time's and I'm still completely stunned something like this could happen so close to completing the deal. I almost felt a little sorry for Chris Nguyen, the entrepreneur behind the Jobloft.com concept, but it was his choice not to speak-up when he had the chance and a $200,000.00 check already in his hand. 

Clearly the teacher that helped grow Jobloft to that point had a major problem with the deal concerning the Sharks long before closing day. In Business timing is everything, and this clearly wasn't the time. Asking the question "No offense but did any of you get a business degree" AFTER they just accepted a $200,000.00 certified check, is about as dumb as it could possibly get. The teacher might have had some good ideas for the business, but was it really a good time to start teaching a class? Watching the Sharks get a 12 minute business lesson is a classic moment I won't soon forget. LOL, that's just too funny. 

The Sharks handled themselves like the professionals they are, but how many times can you attack a Shark before they turn around and bite you back? The teacher with his PHD just had to find out "How many insults does it take to destroy a deal when it's already 99% completed"? Insulting Jim Treliving about flying to the meeting on his private jet probably wasn't the smartest thing for the teacher to be teaching his students either, and what does that have to do about the business deal. 
 
Finally after explaining how insignificant the investors measly $200,000.00 was really worth, Robert Herjevic heard enough and snatches the certified check away from Chris Nguyen's hand. Ouch, now why didn't he put that check away in while he had the chance? By the look in Robert's eyes, I seriously doubt it would have made any difference once he made up his mind. 

In the end, the students took the teacher's advice and walked away from the deal with the Sharks. (or Dragons as they're called in Canada) No doubt there's several very good lessons to be learned from all parties involved.. Kevin O'Leary wrote in great detail more about this deal gone sour in his book "Cold Hard Truth" . Now watching the video with my own eyes, it really makes you wonder how this deal proceeded as far as it did, and "why" did the teacher wait until the last minute before finally voicing his opinion? 

Find the article on the best Shark Tank Blog I have ever seen
http://sharktanksuccess.blogspot.com/

There are three types of people: those who have tried 3D printing, those who are fascinated by it and can’t wait to try it and those who have no idea what it is — yet. But a new collaboration between EKOCYCLE and 3D Systems is making the technology more accessible for novices and experienced users alike. The EKOCYCLETM Cube® 3D Printer allows home users the ability to create new, beautiful and meaningful objects with a groundbreaking printer filament made in part from assorted post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.

The Cube joins a growing collection of EKOCYCLE products, a brand launched by will.i.am and The Coca-Cola Company to promote sustainability through aspirational, yet attainable lifestyle products made in part from recycled material.

http://www.ekocycle.com/

3D Printing BasicsIn its simplest terms, 3D printing allows one to manufacture a 3D object from a digital design. While the term "printing" often confuses people, it makes sense when you realize that items are created by adding successive layers of filament material – which can include plastic, metal, even food – to build the object, just as a regular printer adds ink to paper to create text, images or a photograph. Artists are using 3D printers to create pieces ranging from necklaces to large-scale sculptures, but the technology is also used to create everything from textiles to medical devices to engine parts.

The EKOCYCLE Cube prints with a filament cartridge made in part from assorted post-consumer recycled 20oz PET plastic bottles. Each EKOCYCLE cartridge turns the recycled plastic into a variety of products including wearable fashion and music accessories. The new EKOCYCLE Cube prints in dual color in a curated color palette of red, black, white and natural. New to home 3D printing, rPET is a flexible filament material that retains full durability.

The EKOCYCLE ConnectionEKOCYCLE is a sustainability-minded partnership between will.i.am and The Coca-ColaCompany. The goal of the program, as will.i.am explains, is to "partner with the most influential brands around the world and use technology, art, style and inspiration to change an entire culture. We will create aspirational lifestyle products made in part using post-consumer waste. We will make it cool to recycle. And we will make it cool to make products using recycled materials.”

“The EKOCYCLE Cube takes 3D printing to the next level, giving people all over the world the ability to transform discarded waste into useful, functional and fashionable objects,” said will.i.am, Chief Creative Officer, 3DS. “This is the beginning of a more sustainable 3D-printed lifestyle.”

The current collaboration with 3D Systems to launch the innovative EKOCYCLE Cube 3D printer fits naturally with other EKOCYCLE products made with recycled materials such as Beats by Dr. Dre ® Studio headphones and New Era® 59FIFTY fitted caps.

"With EKOCYCLE products, consumers have been able to get beautifully designed items made with recycled materials," notes Kelli Sogar, Senior Global Licensing Manager at The Coca-ColaCompany. “With the EKOCYCLE Cube, there is enormous potential for everyone, from students and home crafters to artists and inventors, to feel a more direct connection with recycling and think of it as an integral part of creating something new. It's not just about making an object at home, it's about making a change in how we think about recycling."

Making the Process EasierWhile 3D printing has certainly been making waves in the manufacturing and design communities, the complex software and the high cost of the printer and the ingredients it requires have typically meant that widespread home or school use wasn't very realistic. But that is beginning to change.

Unleashing the ImaginationOf course 3D printing has a natural appeal to the more tech-oriented passionate “makers” of the DIY movement, students and teachers, and to those people who just can't get over how cool it is to see an object being built. But, according to Sogar, with the EKOCYCLE Cube, there is an opportunity that goes beyond seeing ideas to life. "We believe that innovation and technology are critical in delivering meaningful consumer experiences with our brands."

EKOCYCLE Cube FeaturesThe EKOCYCLE Cube 3D printer is a plug and play consumer 3D printer, priced at $1,199 for everyday use, and will be available at 3DS’ online consumer hub Cubify™. The EKOCYCLE Cube printers are expected to commence commercial shipments during the second half of 2014. To sign up for updates, please visit Cubify.

• Setting a New Standard for How We Make: Each EKOCYCLE Cartridge turns the equivalent of 3 used bottles into your next wearable fashion, music accessory or desktop décor. Users will receive a free collection of 25 fashion, music and tech minded accessories, curated by will.i.am, to have fun 3D printing immediately.
  
  
• Remade Print Experience: Prints in beautiful 70-micron high resolution at fast speeds and up to 6” cubed in size, with ultra-fine supports for complex prints and a choice of easy auto settings or advanced settings. Auto-leveling ensures quality printability every time.
  
  
• Unlock the Limits of Style: EKOCYCLE Cube prints in simultaneous, dual color recycled plastic in a curated color palette of red, black, white and natural.
  
  
• Instant Load Cartridge: Instant material loading is now easier than changing an ink cartridge. Moisture-lock cartridges ensure extended shelf life and total material usage, improving print quality and sustainability. The cartridges are easy to load and store while preserving the life and quality of the materials.
  
  
• Convenience in the Palm of Your Hand: Enjoy the freedom of mobile printing direct from the Cubify app for iOS and Android. Find new things to print in the curated brand collections or browse the Design Feed for inspiration to add to your Shelf. Prep and print from your smartphone direct to the EKOCYCLE Cube.
  
  
• Easy to Use, Sleek Design: Building on the iconic Cube, the EKOCYCLE Cube features a color touchscreen with an intuitive user interface and sleek LEDs highlighting prints in action, and is equipped with faster Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, an auto-leveling printpad and easy supports removal for complex prints.

will.i.am Introduces the EKOCYCLE Cube 3D Printer

The Uber Florida family is growing — today, uberX is rolling into Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach! We’ve had an awesome time bringing safe, affordable and stylish transportation to the streets of Miami this summer. And now, South Florida residents in neighboring Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach can also enjoy the convenience, safety and reliability of requesting a ride with the push of a button. 

What comes to mind when you think of a 3D printer? A far-fetched, futuristic fantasy from “The Jetsons”? The scariest new technology around? Perhaps the most useful? 3D printers have been utilized to create everything from prosthetic limbs to computer parts to dolls to bicycles to… well, pretty much anything that can be dreamed up and designed using software and plastic.

First, a primer: rather than putting ink to paper, most 3D printers build layers of an object by applying melted plastic from a movable nozzle in a controlled manner until the layers add up to an actual object — think building a pyramid from the bottom up, one layer at a time.

In addition to revolutionizing major industries like automotive and aerospace manufacturing, 3D printing also has the potential to benefit the small to medium-sized business sphere. Companies could fashion prototypes or one-offs of any object they desire in mere minutes, opening the door to rapid, low-cost technological advances untethered to traditional means of expensive and time-consuming mass production.

Aiding the rise of 3D printers is a correlated drop in cost — as Moore’s Law states, the number of transistors on a chip will double every two years, driving technological progress forward while simultaneously driving prices down. As Forbes reported in 2013, 3D printers have followed that inverse curve, with prices plummeting from the million-dollar range for large-scale machines to $1,000 hobbyist kits and pre-assembled printers produced by companies like MakerBot and 3D Systems.

Furthering the spread of 3D printing, many of these ready-to-use machines, like 3D’s Cube and MakerBot’s Replicator, also come with built-in 3D designs; free versions of software are even beginning to proliferate online. Research firm IDC predicts the number of 3D printers sold in 2014 will rise 67% from 2013; in January, Dell added MakerBot 3D printing to its small and medium-sized business sales channel; and in March, HP announced that it would announce a line of 3D printersfor the business community later this year.

How exactly can small to medium-sized businesses benefit from 3D printing? Consider these scenarios:

·      Break a key off your computer keyboard? A 3D printer could fashion a new replacement in minutes, saving you expensive repair costs or time and money spent purchasing a new keyboard.

·      Need a scale model to win over a prospective client and potentially secure a contract? Architects, orthodontists, and toolmakers could benefit greatly from the ability to quickly produce one-offs.

·      Want to launch a design or manufacturing start-up with little overhead? For hundreds of years, the first thought for any manufacturer has been, “How many of these can I sell?” Now, a designer can make one product at a time, modifying it alongside instant feedback to truly cater to a specific customer base.

The best part about 3D printing is that you don’t have to make a major investment to take advantage. Companies like Shapeways, considered the Amazon.com of 3D printing, allow customers to upload 3D designs and outsource the actual creation of them. Place an order with all the customization you want, Shapeways prints the object, and then it’s delivered right to your door. Many industry insiders say this type of 3D printing outsourcing will be most businesses first experience with the new trend.

Quote from: Global Resource Broker.

  Tobacco contains Nicotine;
"NICOTINE IS NOT TOBACCO"

"The new regulations are  based on the idea that E- CIGARETTES are considered TOBACCO when in fact they are nothing more than a NICOTINE DELIVERY SYSTEM and are NOT TOBACCO.

If the FDA's proposed regulations go into force, the likely outcome is a severe reduction in consumer choice, and thus fewer smokers quitting and more.

At last, after months of anticipation, the FDA finally unleashed the proposed regulatory plan — the “deeming regulations” — that the drug agency will apply to electronic cigarettes (ecigs). If these regulations go into force — and that may take years — the likely outcome is a severe reduction in consumer choice, and thus fewer smokers quitting and more dying needlessly.The devil in the 241-page long proposed regulations is the requirement for new tobacco products to get what amounts to pre-market approval via a “new tobacco product application” (NTPA). The FDA estimates that such NTPAs will require thousands of man-hours of data collection and hundreds of thousands of dollars or more, a burden few current ecig companies will be able to survive.

Having spent over 20 years in and around network marketing companies, I was approached the other day in regards to WHAT GRB's professional opinion on Neurs opportunity and platform was.
 Click here for GRB NEURS REVIEW

Here is what I have learned from reviewing over 200 MLM and direct sales companies over the past 5 years. And over 1000 companies of all types and industries.

1) Do your own due diligence.. don't believe all the company material. 

2) Make sure the company is capitalized very well.

3)  Don't be fooled by the early adopters syndrome , SAVE YOUR SPOT, be on the ground floor, don't miss out on the pre launch.

4) The word , PRE LAUNCH, BETA LAUNCH, SOFT LAUNCH, FOUNDERS POSITIONS, typically means that the company does not have the capital to launch full on from day one like www.nerium.com as an example. 

5) Don't be fooled by all the hype, if you don't have the resources or the passion to really promote a service and it cost more than $100 save your money.

6) 90% of early adopters that join during the pioneering stage of the company ( first 12 months ) typically quit. 

7) If you you do get involved be prepared for the bumps in the road with any start up company.

8) Most of the biggest earners will not even be interested until the company has had some serious staying power. 

9) Top potions will still be available way after launch either for sale or accessibility through the right channels and business partners that are successful.

10) Most of the money will be held by the company and very little is shared with the field.

11) Access to entrepreneurs that are looking for capital is not knew, between the hundreds of www.kickstarter.com type sites and the new job's act laws that went to effect this market will be flooded. No need to pay money to access these companies.

12) As a resource brokerage company if you do have a great idea, need capital or want to access strategic resources you can contact us or a company like us you don't need a Neurs to make this a reality.

13) From the surface , with no disrespect to their platform it just seems like another excuse to Lauder money among friends. 

14) Just because a company founders have had success in another company does not ensure success in owning and operating a MLM company.

15) Most likely by the time the average person has heard about a start up MLM, the big money earners have heard about it 6 months to a year earlier through what I call the inner circle.

16) Just because a company offers to fly you out to review the program does not mean they can afford to do so, or that it will last.

17) You can make money in almost any company that is able to pay you, the questions is how important is your word and integrity with your followers.

18) Do a background check on the founders, leaders and top trainers

19) Don't be fooled by the BSO, (bright shinny object) if you are in a company you are happy and actually making money keep going.

20) It takes 2-5 years to be successful in MLM, networking marketing and or direct sales. 

Currently, the tobacco industry is in decline because cigarette consumption decreases by around 3% annually. The main reason for that is a growing awareness of the harmful health effects of smoking cigarettes. As a result, total cigarette consumption has continued on a 13-year downward trend. That is why the market for e-cigarettes might be considered the next growth play for the cigarette producers as the chart below suggests. 

The Best Electronic Cigarette InvestmentsCigarette stocks are among the best "sin" stocks and have dramatically outperformed the market the past 10 years.

Besides Altria, which is a favorite atMoney Morning and is included in theMoney Map Report portfolio, here are three other e-cigarette stocks investors should consider:

Reynolds American Inc. (NYSE: RAI):The second-largest tobacco company, Reynolds produces Camel, Doral and Winston products, accounting for 25% of U.S. tobacco sales. In 2006, it purchased Conwood, the second-biggest smokeless tobacco company in the United States, and had a limited launch of its e-cig Vuse last year. In 2013, Reynolds expects to sell Vuse nationwide and is getting ready to launch e-cigs with a heat source at the tip that heats rather than burns tobacco. (Reynolds introduced a similar e-cig, Eclipse, in 1996 and still sells it to wholesalers and retailers upon request.) Like Altria, RAI offers a healthy dividend just under 5% and is up 572% in the past 10 years. 

Lorillard Inc. (NYSE: LO): The maker of Newport cigarettes, Lorillard is the third-biggest U.S. tobacco company and the oldest (founded in 1760). Newport accounted for 88% of Lorillard's sales in 2011, and to diversify in 2012, it acquired electronic-cigarette maker blu eCigs for $135 million. Blu eCigs had 2013 first-quarter sales of $57 million, up from $39 million only one quarter ago. LO offers a 5.1% dividend and has returned almost 605% the past 10 years.

Vapor Corp. (OTC: VPCO): Unlike the other companies, this is a direct play on e-cigs. In fact, Vapor Corp. is the only fully reporting, publicly traded electronic cigarette company in the U.S. But compared with the above stocks, it's definitely the riskiest of these investments. Vapor Corp. designs, markets and distributes e-cigs under the Fifty-One, Krave, VaporX, EZ Smoker, Green Puffer, Americig, Fumre Hookah Stix and Smoke Star brands and is a possible takeover target for big tobacco firms. For 2012, it reported record net sales of $21.4 million, an increase of 33.6% year-over-year. In early January, VPCO tripled from 25 cents to 75 cents and has since sold down to 40 cents. 

Despite the growing number of people actively participating in the private placement and bank instrument business, there are very few that truly understand what a medium term note is.  Though this amuses us to some degree, it also has alarmed us enough to take action.  Since the “MTN” (medium term note) is a major reason the private placement business exists, we felt like it would be a good idea to connect the dots for our readers with less experience.

For those of you who understood bank instruments prior to this article, we hope this provides additional insight to educate you further. For the rest of our readers, this information will open the door to a new understanding of wealth, while providing facts to help remove uneducated PPP brokers from your network.

By definition, Medium Term Notes (MTN’s) are debt instruments which are created by banks and sold to investors, having a predefined face value, date of maturity, and annual interest rate.

For example, you may have a 10 year note issued from Barclays Bank worth 100M, collecting a coupon (interest) of 6.5% per year.  Each year you would receive 6.5M until the date of its maturity, where you may cash it in for its full face value.

Though an MTN has similar characteristics to other debt notes, it is completely unique due to its flexibility, price, resale potential, and ability to be purchased at a discount from face. Now that you know what a medium term note is, let’s see why they have become so popular recently.

Over 50 years ago, when medium term notes (MTN) started to become available, there were very few passive investments which could compete with the benefits of owning a bank instrument. Given the high annual interest rate, possible discount from face value, and solid backing by top 25 banks, many flocked toward those who issued and owned the notes, looking for ways to financially capitalize.   Once the idea of “trading bank instruments” caught on in the secondary market, the private placement business grew steadily, until the entire business changed with the introduction of the internet.

With the explosion of the internet, the secondary market has been flooded with tons of new brokers trying to broker buy/sells of medium term notes, and bank guarantees. Though it may be possible to close a bank instrument deal, it takes an act of god to do so. The real discussions about bank instruments, at least for those who are successful, revolve around private placement programs.

Bank instruments, such as medium term notes and bank guarantees, are the lifeblood to any private placement program.  Since these notes can be purchased at a discount from top banks, traders can earn quite a hefty profit, all while being risk free due to a prior contractual obligation they had with an “exit buyer”.

As we all know, an “exit buyer” is the entity which purchases the MTN/BG at a slightly higher value, but still discounted from face. Once the first exit buyer purchases the note from the trader, the process repeats itself several times until a final buyer purchases it to hold until maturity. By that time, the note has a very small discount (ex. 93% of face), but many conservative buyers are happy with the remaining spread and annual interest.

Though we could go on forever on the different topics related to medium term notes, if you understand this article, you will have far more knowledge than most you will speak to.  If you would like more information on bank instruments, and their role in private placement programs, please read our extensive article by clicking on this link: “Understanding Bank Instruments, from Bank to End Investor”.

There are many out there who deny the existence of PPP’s and trading platforms and bullets because the returns are crazily high and they have failed to get their asset to trade.

The reality is,  that there are very few real trading platforms on the planet with the necessary approvals. In other words look at 99 fakes to one real as a reasonable arbiter.

Furthermore trading platforms are only interested in cash. With starting levels of $100M US it is no wonder that finding clients for such platforms is difficult. 

Monetizing assets such as metals or precious stones or art is virtually impossible however much faith your broker instills in you about insurance wraps being traded every day by PPP’s and all those upfront fees for due diligence being really worth it!

So, if you have the cash – cash and not some instrument or CD – then you have a chance to trade. But even then you need to be accepted by a trader and pass some seriously heavy duty due diligence. So, if your cash is from some heritage asset out East or you’re laundering for the Russian mafia or some drug lord you’ll get busted and no trade will ever happen. So best stop dreaming now.

If you would like more information on this subject, feel free to contact our investor relations division. You will need to provide us with  the reason for your inquiry and also request a password to be sent to you in order to access any additional resources in regards to this topic. CONTACT US

So, in conclusion, PPP’s are real. There are 99 fakes to every real opportunity. Take care out there.


Tags: Are PPPs real?, insurance wraps, platform, PPP, trading cash, Trading MTN's, trading program, trading programme