When the four principals of Invent Resources (IR) get together, sparks fly and sometimes tempers flare. But that's all part of a day's work for these four inventors-for-hire.

Reprinted with permission from
The Boston Herald, Tuesday, August 20, 1996 (page 23)
By MARIE GENDRON

"When we act together as a group and go at each other's throats, we come up with concepts that are very solid," said A. Ze'ev Hed, one of the principals.

The four world-class scientists and engineers got together about 4 years ago when they discovered that, unlike many of their consultant colleagues, their solution to most problems was an invention of some kind.

The premise behind the company is simple: instead of inventing products and then finding uses for them, IR investigates problems that clients have and invents solutions.

The four inventors together have received more than 80 patents, have guided the development of over 200 products, have formed over 60 licensing arrangements and have more than 40 patent applications in process.

They said a typical client is Arm & Hammer, which wanted IR to find a way to get consumers to replace their baking soda every three months (which is when the product begins to lose its effectiveness). As an added challenge, the solution could not cost more than 2 cents a box.

IR came up with two dozen inventions/solutions, including a pop-up flag, an hourglass timer and an audible signal.

While a management change at Arm & Hammer ultimately shelved the project, IR is in discussions with several other companies about licensing some of its timer discoveries.

Another client is a toy company trying to create a four-color "Etch-a-Sketch"-like toy. The partners said they have come up with a half-dozen inventions that keep the colors from intermingling, all of which are within the client's budget.

IR does not charge clients for the process of inventing. If it does come up with a solution, clients can pay $2,000 for a two-month option on the invention. But IR retains ownership of all its patented ideas and products. Royalties from licenses on those products is where IR hopes to make its fortune.

Principal George Freedman said the company's goal is to line up 5 to 12 licenses a year. Another goal is to find a venture partner to market the company and line up clients so the four partners can do what they enjoy most: invent things.

"We think we're outstanding as inventors, but mediocre as marketeers," Freedman said.

The partners said the key to their success is their varied backgrounds, which include expertise in everything from plasma physics to heat transfer technology to refrigeration and cryogenics. They hold advanced degrees in physics, mathematics, material sciences and engineering and have had line management responsibility in major organizations, such as Raytheon Co.

"We're generalists," Freedman said.

The partners said the driving force behind each of their very different personalities is the love of a challenge.

"Our motto is 'We're too stupid to know it can't be done,' " said Hed. "If it doesn't violate the laws of physics, it's possible."