I have an invention

Well done, once everything is up and running I hope GN will make an exception and allow you to advertise it on here. Good luck

Thirty or so years ago, my Mum invented a slip over shoe made from J Cloths,to be used when entering the house,or coming in from the garden, and not wanting to take your shoes off.My father made the ten plates for the sole part,and Mum & Grandmother sewed them together.They where called Pop ons.Due to my father not really knowing anything about marketing,he’d placed an advert in a magazine, they only sold four pairs.I think they where patented as well.
Such a shame Dragons Den wasn’t around then, because there now used in Hospitals everywhere.

minxie
From what I've heard on Dragon's Den, it depends on whether the 'invention' is replicable.
If a large company can manufacture it faster and at a lower cost you will struggle.
It's best to only patent the part(s) which are peculiar to the item. Some casings, tubes, fittings are commonly assembled in many items and csnnot be patented. You need to get an EU and US patent to completely cover you in case any future law suits arise.
Lots of luck

Typo, cannot.

minxie
To apply for a UK patent costs under £300 and you have 12 months in which to pay for it. To apply for an 'overseas' patent is much more expensive but necessary, given that manufacturing in China and some other countries is far cheaper.

Congratulations and wishing you every success! I would love to know what it is! (Anything to do with disability aids?
Hooty; Wouldn't you be able to find out via "private messaging"? If you succeed, I'd also be interested; or maybe not!

How clever! Many congratulations on inventing something that has already been useful
I’m trying to invent a 30 hour day so that I will have more time to put my poor old feet up!

Thank you GabriellaG, that's very helpful.
No it isn't a mobility aid, but it is an aid to make life easier for people with a certain type of cancer ( sussh walls have ears) which my partner had.
If all goes well, all will be revealed, but I think that will be someway off. Hopefully the original OP will do to

Well done you, I wish you every success with whatever it is!
Congratulations!

I think it would be brilliant to invent something useful. I took early retirement from teaching so I could set up my own website selling downloadable teaching resources. I created the school's website from scratch and I could see that the resources I had put on there were being downloaded regularly. The new National Curriculum came just at the right time and now my resources are used worldwide. I'm not earning millions but I love what I'm doing and I live in hopes that one day someone might offer me millions for the site but I'm not holding my breath!

Keep doing what you are doing. Wish I knew what it is. I started 3 businesses from scratch from wild ideas, all 3 a success.

Wow how satisfying to know your invention will be seen and probably used by some of us on gransnet ?

My father was an electronics engineer and always had inventions in various stages in his workshop.
Often big companies waited until the patents expired before adopting the items, or in other cases just remodelling them and producing their own versions.
He spent many hours inventing a motor with perpetual motion and lots of torque, which relied solely on the power of magnets. He died before it was patented.

Good luck Meno. ???X

I recorded and watched a channel 4 TV series earlier this year called Buy It Now, which featured small inventors showing their products to an audience and three buyers for on-line/mail order companies. The ones in which the panel were interested were given a kick start. I am a sucker for a novel idea and bought several. Being much more low key than Dragon's Den it might be something for you to consider. Good luck!

Great to be creative. Well done and do wish you success. I can often see a way to resolve a problem by adapting something but haven't ever invented anything.

Good luck to you Meno and I hope you can make a fortune too.
I hope in time we can know what you’ve invented, it seems we would like all that .

I can say that mine are aimed at the drinks industry and I am pitching the items to two large promotional merchandising companies very soon, so they are promotional items that can be branded etc. However I have been approached by a gifting company who,wants me to work with them on future ideas so it's all go!

Menopaws

Blimey you must be busy with all that going on.

Well done you and I hope things go well with all of your meetings.

Do you find it nerve racking or simple to engage/pitch your ideas in what must be a very professional arena?

This must be so exciting OP. I have always maintained that spotting a gap in the market, and then coming up with a great idea is the way to go.

Good on you! I do so love to hear about people with some 'get up and go', people who are prepared to get out there and make things happen in their lives.

There are so many posts on sites like these full of people will such defeatist attitudes, who fail to see that if they want to change their lives, that it is within their power to do so.

So here is a positive story to inspire everyone.

Thank you for your positive take on this ladies, I was wary of saying anything in case it came across as being a smart arse but it's not at all. I don't find it difficult to pitch an idea that I know is good,it's a great buzz and gives me a real lift, with this recent idea I am using my lovely daughter in law as my wing man as she is not only beautiful and confident but works in the corporate finance business so will knock them dead better than I ever could and of course the benefits of all this are coming her and my son's ways for their house so it feels right and will be fun for all of us. I've got to the stage of why not, I've got nothing to lose and possibly a lot to gain.
In my head I have set two goals, firstly to repay the original loan and secondly to make enough for my husband and I and my two other children to receive the same amount to put towards a house or whatever they need, if I can do that I will be a very happy lady. That's all I want I'm not greedy but for a lightbulb moment if I can make all our lives a little easier then so be it.

What a woman...the drinks industry is all the rage now, whether it be alcoholic or the soft drinks trade.
I noted that Will Smith (actor) was in Boots, Nottingham a couple of days ago dressed as an employee. He was handing out signed 'green' plastic bottles of water bottled in Ireland, which his son Jaden launched as plant based.
I wish you lots of luck with your new ventures and wonder if I may ask for your autograph before you get too rich for us here
Well done.

The people on here have given a lot of support in many ways so I will never leave here I'm afraid!

This is very exciting!

I had my autograph book out and ready too, menopaws

Ps GabriellaG it's impossible to tell how rich someone is on here!
I have just been checking out a £2m house

Congratulations! I have two ideas for websites which I believe could be absolute winners - and the very few people I've shown them to, all say they genuinely believe in them - this includes a very experienced leader of a large commercial company, who is also starting his own business. It is frustrating because I do believe in the ideas - and would just love someone with money to invest, plus the skills needed, to take them up and run with them. I would want a tiny tiny % of profits - and to be heard in key decisions, especially about being ethical. But am not in a position to make it all happen myself! I did run my own company in the past, but these ideas need more of everything than I now have. So I'm delighted for you Menopaws! It is great to have got as far as you have and I hope it goes from strength to strength!