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NextSTEPS™   Our Award Winning 10 Step Program

The NextSTEPS™ Program has been awarded the “2009 Entrepreneurial Advocate Award” from the Enterprise Systems Center of Lehigh University “for the development of an innovative and industry-leading approach to helping entrepreneurs test and move forward ideas for new ventures in an efficient and cost-effective manner,” and was developed to provide a logical and proven step-by step roadmap for commercializing your invention while at the same time minimizing your financial risk. As shown in the NextSTEPS™ flow chart below, seven key decision points in the process help identify important issues which may need to be addressed before continuing with your development.

Most beginning inventors believe that the road to financial success consists of a very simple process: invent something, get a patent, accept a licensing offer from a manufacturer and then sit back and cash the royalty checks. This sounds easy doesn’t it? The truth of the matter is quite different. Many beginning inventors soon realize that the road from inventing to achieving any financial rewards is a very difficult, if not impossible, journey.

How do some inventors attempt to complete the journey? Many inventors, unfortunately, seek the assistance of promotion companies to assist them in their journey. They soon realize that they may have spent thousands, if not tens of thousands of their hard earned dollars and are no where closer to success then when they began their journey.

By using the NextSTEPS™ program, inventors will be able to quickly determine if their invention has the opportunity of becoming a successful venture. Remember, the successful inventor always analyzes financial risk versus potential rewards.

From providing a detailed user group survey and one of the most comprehensive invention evaluations in the industry, through designing and building a prototype of your invention, to helping you decide to either license your invention or start a new business, you can be assured of the same honest commitment from our staff dedicated for assisting you in achieving your goals.

Our experienced senior staff has developed the NextSTEPS™ program to assist both the seasoned and novice inventor.

NextSTEPS™ Flow Chart

Place your cursor over the boxes to learn more about the NextSTEPS™ Program.

  • Invention Documentation
    Step 1: Invention Documentation: Protect you “first-to-invent” rights by properly documenting your invention and receive a “sanity-check” review of your idea. Click here to learn more.
  • Step 2: Friends and Family Survey: Further improve your initial invention by incorporating the results of the user group questionnaire. Click here to learn more.
  • Invention Evaluation
    Step 3: Invention Evaluation: Obtain a professional evaluation of your invention using over 50+ criteria and learn of those areas of your invention which need remedial work. Click here to learn more.
  • Step 4: Competitive Analysis & Market Strategy: Identify and understand your competitions’ weaknesses and strengths and how you can position your invention for the greatest market penetration and profit. Click here to learn more.
  • Patent Search and Analysis
    Step 5: Patent Search and Analysis: Determine if your invention can be patented over existing prior art and understand the breadth of your claims. Click here to learn more.
  • File Utility Patent
    Step 6: File Utility Patent: Get “patent pending” status for your invention by filing a utility patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office in Washington, D.C. Click here to learn more.
  • Prototype Analysis
    Step 7: Prototype Analysis: Give life to your invention by designing either a virtual 3D or an actual physical prototype of your invention. Click here to learn more.
  • Prototype Testing
    Step 8: Prototype Testing: Test and further improve your prototype to meet market expectations. Click here to learn more.
  • Financial Analysis
    Step 9: Financial Analysis: Determine the pro-forma profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow financial statements for successfully marketing your invention. Click here to learn more.
  • Business Decision
    Step 10: Business Decision: Based upon the results of the financial statements, decide if licensing or starting a business will maximize your profits. Click here to learn more.