DaVinci Institute's Inventor Boot Camp - 2007 Learning the fine art of becoming an inventor
What better way to learn about patents than to hear it directly from the Commissioner of Patents himself?
USPTO Commissioner John Doll will be making a guest appearance at the Inventor Boot Camp on the morning of November 15th to talk about the patenting process. Later, at 6:00 pm, he will be addressing the audience at the Colorado Inventor Showcase, talking about the future of patents and the USPTO.
In this Boot Camp you'll learn the world of inventing without the sugar coating. Inventing a product is tough work. The invention itself is just one step in what can sometimes be a very, very long process. The Inventor Boot Camp teaches you what’s important. It’ll teach you how to focus your energies on driving your product forward. And most importantly, what it takes to become successful.
LOCATION: The Cable Center, 2000 Buchtel Boulevard, Denver, C0 80210 - Map DIRECTIONS:Click here for map
INSTRUCTORS: Tom Franklin, Jeffrey Samson, Curtis Vock, John Funk
COST: $99 - ($79 for DaVinci Institute Members) - Register here. PHONE:303-666-4133
Who Should Attend?
The Inventor Boot Camp is designed for people who are serious about being an inventor. This may include anyone who either has a patent or is thinking about patenting something. The contents of this workshop will apply to everyone from a first-time inventor to someone who is filing their 27th patent. This is powerful information for those who are serious about their invention.
Why Should You Attend?
The Inventor Boot Camp will be the most significant turning point in your entire life. Some of the topics included will be:
Top 10 Mistakes Made By Most Inventors - How to recognize them before they happen and avoid them.
Intellectual Property Strategies - The deck is stacked against the individual inventor. Understand the tactics and strategies, and how to use them to your advantage.
Patent Appraisals - Tools and techniques to determine how to find out how much your patent is worth.
Patent Insurance for the Little Guy - Where to get it and when do you need it.
System Thinking - Learn how to evaluate the system in which your invention will function, and how to maximize your position.
Managing Your Life - Being an inventor is tough work. Learn how to balance and manage your life.
Being Successful - In the end we want you to be successful - very successful. Learn to enjoy the journey. This is the most important work on the planet earth.
INSTRUCTOR - USPTO Commissioner John Doll
John J. Doll is the Commissioner for Patents, responsible for all aspects of the patent granting process for the United States, more than 5,000 employees, and an annual budget of more than $970 million.
Previously, Mr. Doll served as Deputy Commissioner for Patent Resources and Planning, and on a detail assignment as Special Assistant to Jon Dudas, Director of the USPTO. Before his detail, Mr. Doll was the Director of Groups 1610 and 1630 that examine organic chemistry, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology.
Mr. Doll joined the Patent and Trademark Office in 1974 as a Patent Examiner and was promoted to Primary Examiner in 1979, reviewing patent applications encompassing pharmaceuticals, herbicides, pesticides, and dyestuffs. As a Supervisory Patent Examiner in Groups 1100 and 1800, he was responsible for applications drawn from a variety of arts, including inorganic chemistry, hydrometallurgy, zeolite catalysts, buckministerfullerenes, proteins, and peptides. In 1992, he was promoted to Deputy Director of Group 1100 and 2900, which examined chemical, chemical engineering, and design patent applications. In 1995, he became the Director of Group 1800, which examined biotechnology patent applications. He was then one of the Directors of the Chemical Matrix that transitioned into TechnologyCenter 1600.
Mr. Doll received a bachelor of science from Bowling GreenStateUniversity in chemistry and physics, and a master of science from The Pennsylvania State University in physical chemistry.
INSTRUCTOR - Thomas D. FranklinThomas Franklin is an Intellectual Property Attorney with the firm of Townsend & Townsend & Crew, LLP. Mr. Franklin's practice focuses on patent prosecution, trademark prosecution, licensing and intellectual capital management. His technical experience is concentrated in the area of software, cryptographic design, VOIP, telecom, electronic system design, wireless data links, satellite transponders, and telemetry systems.
Prior to entering the field of law, Mr. Franklin spent several years working in semiconductor fabrication facilities at the NavalOceanSystemsCenter and Hughes Aircraft and several more as a senior engineer for Lockheed Martin. At Lockheed, he was responsible for projects involving the design of complex wireless data links, digital circuits and encrypted data links.
INSTRUCTOR - Curtis Vock
Curtis Vock joined Lathrop & Gage as special counsel in September, 2000. He became a member of the firm in 2001. His practice primarily involves intellectual property prosecution and litigation, licensing and corporate counseling. His clients range from small start-ups to large Fortune 500 companies and Ivy League Universities. These clients involve technology such as software and Internet business systems, infrared imaging devices, optical networking components, sports equipment, industrial sensors and medical devices. Mr. Vock spent ten years as a design and systems engineer within the military industrial complex, for companies like Lockheed-Martin, Loral, Honeywell and Hughes Aircraft; this experience has been invaluable for understanding the complexities of marketing and delivering today's technology innovations.
His education includes - Denver University, Daniel's College, M.B.A., 2000 and New England School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1992
INSTRUCTOR - John Funk John Funk is a Principal with, and the Chief Product Scout for, Evergreen IP, LLC (www.evergreenip.com). Funk has 3 issued patents to his credit and has been a serial entrepreneur for the past decade (3 companies launched; over $500m in value creation for shareholders). At last count, Funk has created over 12 new products that have met with commercial success.
Funk recently launched Evergreen IP with two partners to help inventors commercialize their products by transforming, validating, and licensing them to BigCos. Evergreen IP is a "product capitalist" firm that partners with inventors and invests in new consumer products that are dramatically different from existing products.
Funk has raised over $30m in venture capital over the years and has experience with both private equity investors, corporate investors and M&A. Funk received his MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, graduated cum laude from Northwestern School of Law (concentration in IP law), and received his Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern University. In prior lives he has worked for Bell Atlantic (where he was youngest Director-level executive in the company's history), the law firm of Skadden Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, and management consultancy William M. Mercer.
INSTRUCTOR - Jeffrey Samson
Jeffrey Samson has been involved in product development for 35 years, working on large systems like mass transit vehicles to micro-precise surgical scalpels and instruments. In 1984, Jeff founded Samson Design, a product design and development firm, specializing in product solutions for the medical, consumer and high tech industries. His firm’s clients include 3M, Medtronic, Emerson Process, Coleman, Pelco Security Systems, Lund, Gates, Coors, IBM, HP, Agilent, Ingersol-Rand, Sartorius, ADAC Laboratories, Valley Lab and Becton Dickinson. Under Jeff’s direction, his team has launched over 40 medical products including electro-surgical generators, sterilizers, a kidney dialyses machine, infusion pumps, an EKG harness, recyclable medical waste handling equipment, an intra-venous catheter, disposable surgical pencils, a closed chest heart by-pass surgical device, a vessel-clamping ligature, an ostomy pump and nozzle system, an inferred mammography machine and two nucleo-medical imaging machines. The products have been recognized for design excellence, including the prestigious Medical Design Excellence Award in 1999.
Jeff received his masters' degree in Industrial Design from Cranbrook Academy of Art and completed post-graduate work in Design Management at Harvard University. In addition to his corporate and consultant R&D experience, Jeff served on the faculty of RIT, the University of Colorado, and the University of North Carolina. He serves on several design and corporate advisory boards, has hosted a radio program on Advanced Materials and Technology, and facilitated special product innovation sessions nationally.
AGENDA
10:00 - 10:15 - Welcome and Introductions - Thomas Frey
10:15 - 11:15 - The Business Side of Invention - John Funk
Transition from an invention to a business
Early stage market analysis
Ten steps to proof of concept
Value design strategies
Usability testing and testing and testing
Developing a profit-centric mindset
11:15 - 12:15 - Intellectual Property Strategies - Tom Franklin
Patents and Provisional Patents
Trademarks
Copyright
Trade Secrets
Planning a Strategy
12:15 - 12:45 - Lunch
12:45 - 1:40 - Turning Your Invention Into a Product - Jeffrey Samson
What is Industrial Design - brief history
At what point do you engage an industrial designer?
Pitfalls to avoid
The value of a good design
Design examples
1:40 - 2:25 - Licensing Your Invention - Curtis Vock
Licensing options
Negotiating from a position of strength
Possible pitfalls
2:25 - 2:30 - Closing Remarks - Thomas Frey
During the Inventor Boot Camp a box lunch will be served to all attendees. At 2:30 pm the exhibit floor will be open for Celebrity Judges and those who have attended the Inventor Boot Camp.
John J. Doll is the Commissioner for Patents, responsible for all aspects of the patent granting process for the 
Thomas Franklin is an Intellectual Property Attorney with the firm of 
Curtis Vock joined Lathrop & Gage as special counsel in September, 2000. He became a member of the firm in 2001. His practice primarily involves intellectual property prosecution and litigation, licensing and corporate counseling. His clients range from small start-ups to large Fortune 500 companies and Ivy League Universities. These clients involve technology such as software and Internet business systems, infrared imaging devices, optical networking components, sports equipment, industrial sensors and medical devices. Mr. Vock spent ten years as a design and systems engineer within the military industrial complex, for companies like Lockheed-Martin, Loral, Honeywell and Hughes Aircraft; this experience has been invaluable for understanding the complexities of marketing and delivering today's technology innovations.
Jeffrey Samson has been involved in product development for 35 years, working on large systems like mass transit vehicles to micro-precise surgical scalpels and instruments. In 1984, Jeff founded