Free Online Course on Raising Capital

Business Week will be offering a free online course on raising capital for a small business.

http://www.bwcourses.com/courses/overview.jsp?courseId=1113

This course covers the three main sources of capital open to small business owners -- venture, growth, and debt capital -- as well as tips on negotiating the best financing package. The course is based on How to Raise Capital: Techniques and Strategies for Financing and Valuing Your Small Business by Jeffry A. Timmons, Stephen Spinelli, and Andrew Zacharakis (McGraw-Hill).

Understand the three core principles of entrepreneurial finance
Find out how to determine your capital requirements
Learn about the three main types of venture capital available to small businesses -- venture, growth, and debt capital -- as well as which type is right for your situation
Get tips for valuing your company and negotiating the best financing package for your business

Lessons
Introduction to Entrepreneurial Fund-Raising
Introduction to Venture and Growth Capital
Introduction to Debt Capital
Negotiating the Best Deal

Link to how to download patent copies online

This is a link to a Guide to how to download patent copies on the internet. This link is a blog that has links to sites and programs that do this either for free or for cost.

http://nip.blogs.com/patent/2004/09/guide_to_downlo.html

United Inventors Association Link

Free access to online newsletters, brochures and articles including a section on scams and warnings and much more.

http://www.uiausa.org/

Big Idea Group - Newsletter for Inventors

For the latest idea hunts check out The Big Idea Group's online newsletter

http://www.bigideascoop.net/

http://bigideahunts.net/


"Big Idea Group (BIG) was created to help both inventors and corporations meet the innovation challenge. We are dedicated to partnering with inventors and companies to identify, develop and bring to market innovative ideas. Unlike most agencies, we don't charge inventors for services. We make money by licensing innovative concepts and helping corporations bring ideas to market." - from their website.

Patent Path Reg

Another interesting blog. This one is on patents.

Patent Path Reg

Minnesota Inventors Congress June 10-12, 2005

World's Oldest Annual Invention Convention
located in Redwood Falls, MN

For more information, please check out their site.

http://www.inventhelper.org/

http://inventhelper.org/b-index.html

Check Out Our Member's Only Website

The Inventors Association of New England has a member's only website. There you can look up a member, read minutes from past lectures, find a fellow inventor to talk to or collaborate with, find members in a particular field in our cross reference index or post an ad for your business or service for free.

www.inventne.com

Staples Invention Quest - Enter by June 1st, 2005

It's time for the annual Staples Invention Quest. Entry deadline is June 1st, 2005. For more information please see their website:

http://inventionquest.dja.com/


The Grand Prize is $25,000. Last year one of our own members made it to finalist!
You can also vote on this site in August for the invention you think should win.

Welcome!

Welcome to the new blog for would-be inventors. We welcome any comments, advice, or news stories related to the world of inventing.