ThinkVillage® Launches Innovation Center
ThinkVillage, LLC announced its web-based Innovation Center that assists institutions and individual inventors in bringing inventions to market.
Boulder, CO (PRWEB) August 3, 2007
ThinkVillage, LLC announced its web-based Innovation Center that assists institutions and individual inventors in bringing inventions to market. The on-line Innovation Center provides an easy avenue for innovators and tech transfer offices to refine and protect concepts, and to also see finished patents marketed to prospective buyers in the commercial arena.
Since its inception in 2006, ThinkVillage has reduced the ‘barriers of entry’ that often frustrate inventors. Founder/inventor Curtis Vock conceived of ThinkVillage while struggling with red tape that inhibited getting his innovations to the market. Vock said, “First there are the confidentiality agreements (which often do not really protect you) and then there are the extensive costs of getting a patent filed and sold. Finally, very few companies are set up to incorporate new ideas from outside the company. We founded ThinkVillage to help bridge the gap between conception and licensing.”
Vock has over forty issued patents and has sold or licensed over 30 of them in the last twelve years, and yet still tires of the patent/commercialization process. Vock added, “It is often more preferable, and successful, for inventors to create, innovate and then put ideas into capable hands that take care of the rest of the process. What I love about this approach is that inventors become free to invent and society gains quicker access to innovative solutions, all in an open forum.”
ThinkVillage’s Innovation Center website accepts IP in all stages, from undisclosed ideas to issued patents. A unique feature of ThinkVillage is its ever-growing network of specialists that help evaluate the feasibility of technologies and introduce those that make the grade to end-users that purchase or license the underlying IP. For patents or patent concepts that have merit, ThinkVillage provides the investment required to develop and market them to the highest bidder.
Currently, ThinkVillage is focused on four industry segments: computer sciences, life sciences, physical sciences and consumer goods.
“It's amazing how many first-class technologies we have had submitted at this point,” says principal Rod Thomas. “We have received DNA sequencing technologies, digital communications algorithms and even pulmonary medication technologies. We also have a fair number of consumer product innovations and enhancements. Many sophisticated inventors have great ideas but just do not want to contend with patenting technicalities. Another thing we strive to do is speed up the commercialization process. Most of the universities and experienced inventors we deal with know how long commercialization can take if not approached correctly.”
Inventor David Kumhyr (Master Inventor for IBM) and his brother Paul (emergency health care expert) have already submitted seven inventions between them. Kumhyr said, “We are pleased that ThinkVillage has been able to advance our ideas so that we can remain focused on what we do best – coming up with the next best things.” ThinkVillage has already filed patents for three of the brothers’ seven submissions, with others still in the evaluation pipeline.
ThinkVillage is based in Boulder, Colorado. It is recognized as a leading resource for universities, research institutions and independent inventors. To explore the Innovation Center website and learn more about ThinkVillage, go to www. thinkvillage. com.
Contact:
Tom Thompson
ThinkVillage
303-439-9100
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