There are several jobs that we dream about and that lots of people wish they could call their own. Astronaut of course, pilot probably, footballer, rock star, inventor… but of all of these ‘inventor’ is undoubtedly one of the most realistic and one of the most attainable and this has never been truer than it is today thanks to the fantastic advantages that modern technology provide us with and thanks to the brilliant infrastructure in place waiting for us to take advantage…
Here we will look at how things like the Internet, POD, and digital manufacturing have made it genuinely possible to become an inventor and how to go about taking the leap…
First of all you need an idea and arguably this is the hardest part. Coming up with an idea is a simple matter though of seeing a gap in the market, of anticipating what people will someday need, of helping to make a task easier, or of combining multiple products to create something more efficient or practical. Going about your regular lifestyle then, be constantly thinking what things seem annoyingly unnecessary or limiting, and then try to think of solutions to solve those problems. If you end up making something that you will genuinely use on a regular basis then chances are that other people will use it too and that you’re going to be in the money.
The Funding
There are two ways to go now – either the bootstrapping route, or looking for funding. If you want to launch the product with the minimum cost and investment then the good news is that this is now more possible than ever before thanks to the web and things like 3D printing allow you to produce with no up-front investment (more on this later).
Alternatively though if you want funding then you can either go the old fashioned routes and apply for funding from a wealthy investor/angel, or you can use the new ‘Kickstarter’ to accomplish this where you get funding from every day people in exchange for various different things – discounts, stakes in the business, credit or say in the design.
Production
Next you need to think about how you are going to mass produce something without the backing of a huge corporation – which is where the modern technology and wealth of new services come in so handy.
One thing at your disposal here is 3D printing – the use of manufacturing plants with conveyor belts and precise cutting/glueing machines that operate according to digital instructions. All you then need to do is to learn to create CAD files (computer aided design) in order to define the precise measurements and quantities, and then by uploading this file you can have your product mass produced automatically.
Even better is the fact that these 3D printing companies (or digital manufacturers as they are also known) are able to produce the units as and when they are needed. This means you can set up an online shop that refers orders, and have the units printed out only as they are needed. Of course this in turn means there is no need for any large up-front investment, and means that you can produce the precise number of items you need with no waste materials left over.
Ron is an active blogger who loves to write about business. His tips have proved to be very beneficial to people. He helps provide conveyors and bulk handling product specialists through his website.
