QVC Sprouts™ springs into action in March 2012 in the InventionHome.com Inventors Corner Pavilion of the 2012 International Home + Housewares Show. To kick off the Sprouts program, QVC is giving attendees the opportunity to present their products live to a panel of QVC buyers at the show!

How the Presentations will Work

The presentations will take place on the last day of the show, Tuesday, March 13th, in the Inventor’s Revue area of InventionHome’s Inventors Corner Pavilion. The inventors will each have a chance to demonstrate his/her product while facing the seated panel. The Revue area has audience seating and is open to anyone attending the show.

Inventors will receive immediate feedback from the panel resulting in one of the following scenarios:

1. acceptance into the QVC Sprouts program
2. rejection as not suitable for QVC
3. given advice and asked to resubmit to QVC Sprouts at a later date.

How QVC Sprouts Works

Each week, QVC will promote select products on QVC.com and let their customers vote on the products they would like to buy. If your product grabs the top vote at week’s end, they will make it available for purchase online the following week. Robust sales on QVC.com would lead to a spot on the QVC TV shopping channel.

This program opens up opportunities for inventors on QVC that might not have made the cut through the standard QVC product evaluation process. Requirements for QVC are often difficult for new vendors to meet, thus eliminating winning products before they even get a chance on air. QVC Sprouts is a low-risk way for the inventor to discover if their product is desired by QVC shoppers and for QVC to discover those hidden gems from entrepreneurs and inventors.

Who should apply and how do I submit?

Inventors with market-ready products that demonstrate well should consider applying. Products should have mass appeal and solve a real problem. Click here to submit your product for consideration:

Submit Your Product FREE Today

As with any public disclosure of an idea, the inventor should take necessary steps to protect the idea and seek counsel with questions. There is no charge to submit or present your product to QVC. Inventors will be required to pay their own travel expenses.

Good Luck! We hope to see you in Chicago!

Anthony’s product, called “Podillow”, provides a unique head rest perfect for anytime but specifically designed for use in the “face-down” position (like while sunbathing or receiving massages).  Whether lying face-down or face-up, the pillow provides great comfort while also protecting items like MP3, keys, wallet, etc. in convenient storage compartments.

The licensee plans to introduce Podillow first to catalog accounts, then to take it to retail accounts.

Congratulations, Anthony!

InventionHome introduced LapMate to one of it’s member companies, who showed immediate interest in the product and moved forward quickly with license negotiation.  The company projects a product launch of LapMate later in 2012.

Congratulations, Robert!

The Licensee saw promise in Sylven’s patent-pending invention, which provides a convenient device on which to hang wet laundry to dry.  The company will now devote energy to developing refined samples before moving into filming of a television commercial.
Congratulations, Sylven!

InventionHome introduced the invention to one of it’s member companies, who quickly moved forward with a product review and license negotiation. The company plans to introduce the item with an “As Seen On TV” campaign, with rollout to retail stores to follow.

Congratulations, Louis!

Just as before, 24 inventors will be selected to receive ten-minute private sessions with each company in attendance. It is absolutely free for inventors to submit their ideas and for the selected inventors to pitch their ideas. Products will be selected based on criteria that translate to successful sales on television with subsequent sales to retail stores. Successful “direct response” products typically solve a specific consumer problem, are easy to demonstrate, and appeal to a wide audience. They generally sell for at least 5 times as much as they cost to produce. Hit TV products have a “wow factor”—a product feature that makes you say, “I need to have that!”.

Russ Williams, president of InventionHome, bases the company’s decision to hold the May summit on the great response from the 2011 event. He states: “The September summit exceeded our every expectation. Not only did the event run smoothly, but we also received overwhelmingly positive feedback from both the attending companies and the attending inventors. The enthusiasm at the event was electric. I witnessed a strong camaraderie develop among the inventors present, and I was also impressed by the positive interaction between the inventors and the company representatives.”

Williams noted that of the 24 inventions reviewed that sunny September day, 21 of those inventors received positive reviews and follow-up communications with at least one of the attending companies. To date, one license agreement has been completed, two license agreements are still in negotiation, and three wholesale/distribution deals are in the works.

Inventors may submit their products at the DRTV Product Summit website:

Submit Your Product FREE Today

Submissions will be accepted until April 30, 2012 and inventors will be informed if they have been selected to attend soon after that date.

InventionHome Sponsors the Inventors Corner

InventionHome is proud to be the VIP sponsor of the Inventors Corner this year, and is excited to work with the United Inventors Association of America (UIA), organizer of the Inventors Corner, to help inventors present their products in the best light.

“The Inventors Corner at the International Home + Housewares Show represents a huge opportunity for inventors trying to break into the Housewares marketplace,” said Jennifer Lawlor, UIA Director of Inventor Education and Events. “The Inventors Corner is one of the hottest attractions at the show which means lots of traffic for exhibitors along with great networking.”

Submit Your Product for a Chance to be Displayed in the InventionHome Booth at the 2012 Housewares Show

For those inventors that can’t be there in person, InventionHome is offering three lucky inventors the chance to have their invention on display in the InventionHome booth.
There is no cost to submit your product for consideration or for InventionHome to display your invention, if selected, at the show. Inventors must agree to appoint InventionHome as their agent if selected for the show. As the acting agent, InventionHome will receive a commission on any revenue received as a result of exposure at the show. For more details and to submit your invention for consideration, submit your product below:

Submit Your Product FREE Today

Note: Current InventionHome clients with household-related inventions are automatically considered in the selection process for this opportunity and need not submit.

Attending the Show? Check Out These Inventor Opportunities

For those of you that are able to attend the show, there are opportunities beyond just exhibiting. In keeping with the UIA’s goal to increase inventor education, The Inventors Corner Pavilion will also host product pitching events as well as a diverse educational forum.

“The InventionHome 2012 International Housewares Show inventor area is not only the largest inventor area ever—it’s packed to the brim with inventor educational programs, professional inventors to give advice, and product reviews, including buyers from QVC selecting products on the spot for a new QVC Program just for inventors,” explained Mark Reyland, Executive Director of the UIA. “The UIA, Invention Home and QVC are excited about bringing this opportunity for you to learn and be seen at such a HUGE industry event.”

Get More Info About the Inventors Corner

If you would like to attend and exhibit in the Inventors Corner Pavilion at the 2012 International Home + Housewares Show, please contact Jen Lawlor at 412-400-0703 or jenlawlor@uiausa.org. Exhibition space is limited and is being sold on a first come first serve basis.

InventionHome congratulates our friends Steve Greenberg and Patrick Raymond whose new TV show “Kitchen Inventors” has been picked up by the Food Network! Steve and Patrick are “invention scouts” that travel the country in search of great kitchen gadgets from everyday inventors.

How the Show Works

In the Pilot show, the duo travels to the Midwest and visits three inventors in their homes to evaluate their inventions. One inventor is chosen to pitch his invention to the world’s largest kitchen company. The suspense heightens as Steve and Patrick break the bad news to two of the three inventors. Then the heat turns up as the chosen inventor pitches to company executives and anxiously awaits their verdict. The answer is yes! The inventor now gets the chance to live the dream and hopefully see his kitchen gadget become the next million-dollar idea.

Now It’s Your Chance to Submit Your Product to “Kitchen Inventors”

Lucky Dog Films is currently casting inventors for the series. If you have an invention that is connected to food— whether to grow, prepare, process, store, serve or dispose of—they would like to hear from you. There are 3 requirements:

1. Your invention should be, at minimum, patent-pending.
2. You must have a real working prototype.
3. You need an outgoing personality and be comfortable appearing on TV.

Submit Your Product to “Kitchen Inventors”

What to consider when submitting your product

If you are considering submitting your invention to any outside party, we must stress the importance of understanding the terms and conditions that accompany your submission. You should have patent protection and be sure that you are not giving up your rights by submitting your product.

With that said, Kitchen Inventors is an inventor-friendly show and Steve Greenberg and Patrick Raymond have been working on behalf of inventors for many years. Read more about their contributions below.

About the Hosts

Steve Greenberg is the author of the book, “Gadget Nation” and appears regularly with the latest gadgets on TV shows such as NBC’s Today Show, The Dr Oz Show and Jimmy Fallon. He also sits on the board of directors of the United Inventors Association of America (UIA) along with InventionHome President Russell Williams.

Patrick Raymond is an inventor himself and former Executive Director of the UIA. In addition, he founded the Inventors Association of Manhattan, MyInventionScore.com, and is an Editor-at-Large for “Inventor’s Digest Magazine.”

Keep romance alive this Valentine’s Day—even in cold weather—with this week’s Invention of the Week, Smittens! Brought to you by Invention Home’s sister website, MatchProduct, Smittens are mittens specially designed so that two people can hold hands inside of one oversized mitten. Smittens are available in adult and child sizes and come in three colors, including the ultimate color of love—red!

Smittens are a great gift for anyone planning to hold hands in the cold: parents and their kids, friends, or lovers. They are made from Polartec® fleece fabric which is warm and will keep its color and quality for many years. Smittens are truly a perfectly unique present for your partner this Valentine’s Day!

Independent inventor, Wendy, enlisted the help of MatchProduct.com (an affiliate division of InventionHome) to assist her in finding marketing/licensing opportunities for her invention.

In partnership with the United Inventors Association, InventionHome co-sponsored the Inventors Spotlight Pavilion at the 2012 PGA Merchandise Show. Throughout the week, inventors showcased new products not yet available for retail, and InventionHome President Russ Williams capped off the week by presenting the awards for “Best in Show” to three gracious inventors.