One of the most innovative inventor groups in the country will be hosting it’s Third Annual Inventors Showcase On May 30th, 2009 at the World Trade Center in downtown Portland .  MIPO, The Micro-enterprise Inventor’s Program of Oregon, would like to invite you, your students, and anyone you know within your organization to participate.  At MIPO we work with inventors everyday - and what we see is people who recognize a problem or a challenge, and create solutions.  We believe that innovation, problem solving and overcoming challenges are innate and fundamental core competencies for every inventor.  With our showcase, we offer all inventors, with all levels of experience, to join together and show us what you’ve got!

The theme for the 2009 Showcase is “Innovation Begins At Home.“ this year and will be awarding prizes in several categories! 

·      “In the Kitchen” for all the women out there who create solutions “What’s cooking in your Kitchen??“

·      “In the Garage” for all the men out there who find answers to problems—Waffle Iron, anyone?

·      “In the Playroom” for all the kids and teens under age 18 who are already inventing

·      “In the Greenhouse” for all of you who are focused on sustainability, environmental and energy issues, and all things green!!

We understand that not all women spend their days in the kitchen, and that not all men enjoy tools! We simply want to encourage everyone to participate and by creating categories, we are better able to serve a larger population, and—give away more prizes!!  The event will feature a “Best Oregon Invention” contest, which will be voted on during the event by the general public and attendees.  Prizes awarded will be designed to help the winners move further ahead in developing their inventions, including an often sought- after financial component!  The event is open to the public and will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and will include many opportunities to provide resources and opportunities including:

·      Workshops & speakers for both emerging and established inventors, including topics such as licensing, marketing, intellectual property & funding such as:

o     “I Have an Idea, Now What?“ - Getting your idea off the ground

o     “Marketing to Retailers” – Getting your product into retail chains

o     So You Think You Can License!“ - Working through Inventor’s Dilemmas

o     “Funding Your Project?“ - Finding money for your invention

o     “Intellectual Property Protection Strategy” - Exploring pros/cons types of IP protection

·Experts in the fields of patent law, licensing, manufacturing, prototype design and funding will also gather at to exchange ideas and resources.  We are expecting several hundred people to attend the event and since it will only last one day,  do not miss this great opportunity!  To get involved, get more information, or to sign up for the showcase, please visit us online at http://www.mipooregon.org. 

Sincerely,

Kedma Ough, MBA Business Director                                                   Tina Wyszynski, MIPO Coordinator

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Website: http://www.mipooregon.org                                                            Website: http://www.mipooregon.org

Tel.: 503-998-9560                                                                       Tel.: 503-998-9560