Posted by Jahn Stopperan on Sep 23, 2019
Members and guests for our October meeting will be given the opportunity to drill down into their particular interest areas and interact in a workshop setting.  The evening will still start with a session where we will identify the main differences between licensing an invention and forming a company to make and market it. 
 
The program will begin with a comparison of the two routes and what you should consider before deciding the best course.  Then our guests can participate in one of the offered round-table workshops.
We find that Inventors often fall into two primary categories depending upon whether they are striving to create a business from their invention or if they would like to engage with another company to take it to market. Below are the two different round-table options that guests can choose from on October 16th:
 
Positioning Your Invention to License or Partner with a Company 
Steve Lyon, president of the Inventors Network and Pam Turner (Inventor of the Spiral Eye Needle) will lead a discussion that will help you decide if you and your idea are right for licensing.  Topics covered include:
  • Who does what (inventor vs. company that licenses)
  • How licensed inventions work as an income source
  • What type(s) of IP work for licensing 
  • What is needed to convince a company to license your idea
  • How to solidify and memorialize the deal 
  • How to identify the best company
  • What to do if and when a licensing deal is not working
  • Personal Characteristics to have for success 
  • Many other topics
Positioning to Create a Business with Your Invention
Jahn Stopperan and Dick Sommerstad will lead a discussion that helps potential entrepreneurs commercialize their product.
 
Participants will learn and discuss a variety of topics related to starting a small business, such as:
  • What it takes to get a business off the ground
  • Methods to secure funding
  • Forming a company and LLC agreements
  • How to establish financial structure
  • Strategies of getting started
  • Pitfalls to avoid
  • Personal Characteristics to have for success
  • Many other topics 
Dick Sommerstad is an established entrepreneur, starting over a dozen different companies and he currently operates a business called the Network Connect (https://thenetworkconnect.com/). 
 
The Network Connect is a network of angel investors, groups and funds: including mentors and advisors.  The Network Connect is an initiative to connect investors with companies seeking to raise capital and provide resources for businesses.
 
The organization connects businesses with investors.  Entrepreneurs, CEOs and business people come to The Network Connect for information helpful to growing a business.  Throughout the year, the group conducts events and programs for investors, entrepreneurs, business owners, and business people seeking connection and information about the funding process.
 
The Workshop sessions will be a casual discussion format with attendees able to engage in discussion with the workshop leaders and with each other in a smaller group where all of the participants have the same shared interest.