In This Chapter

Could yours be the perfect invention to aid U.S. combat soldiers? Would your idea assist astronauts? Have you created a vaccine that could rid the world of a deadly disease? Do you think you could possibly be the next Steve Jobs? Perhaps your ideas or inventions are not as grand as these, but you need a little assistance with funding your idea and making your dream a reality. The federal government may be able to help you.

Numerous federal programs are available to you, and the N.I.H. (Not Invented Here) Syndrome does not apply. It’s amazing how many opportunities exist here to blend government resources with your ingenuity.

In this chapter, I highlight the programs I feel hold the most potential benefit to you as an independent inventor—if certain criteria are met. The programs range from financial grants to technology transfer. Let me remind you that government programs involve all kinds of paperwork and red tape. However, if you are able to tolerate working with a large bureaucracy and dealing with its frequent dynamic inaction, one of these programs may hold rewards for you.