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By J.D. Houvener
Patent Attorney and Founder

If you are an aspiring inventor and entrepreneur, you are likely spending some time shopping around for services to help you on your journey. This could be anything from patent attorneys to investors and even people who can help make sure your finished product ends up on store shelves.

Whether you are still at the early Googling stages of this search or you already have some specific companies on your radar, it’s possible that you’ve heard of Davison Inventing.

So… what’s their deal? What do they offer? Are they worth looking into, or should you run in the opposite direction? Could they perhaps work in harmony with other services like Bold Patents?

We’re here to answer your questions and give you a quick guide and review on everything you need to know about Davison Inventing! So, without further ado, let’s get started!

Who is Davison Inventing?

 

Simply put, Davison is an inventor services company with a range of services geared towards helping inventors and entrepreneurs at every step in their product’s infancy. They aim to help develop and market your idea to manufacturing companies with the ultimate goal of distributing the final product to stores.

If this seems like a fairly broad business model, it’s because it is. Rather than focusing on the specifics of part of your journey, such as how a patent attorney can help with acquiring and upholding IP protection, Davison has offerings for it all. This means things like patent research, product development, royalty negotiation, and more.

Founded in 1986 by George Davison, this company has been helping inventors for years. It all started with a few ideas for new products, including a heartbreaking story of when George Davison slaved over an idea for toothbrushes only to have a large company beat him to market because of how long it took him to try to get everything together on his own.

To help fellow entrepreneurs avoid ending up in this devastating predicament, he decided to found a company dedicated to helping the underdog. Now, smaller individual entrepreneurs can use the same methods that major corporations use to develop products and avoid getting beaten out for lack of resources.

The Process

 

So, it’s great that Davison offers a full range of services… but what exactly does that mean? What is their process?

It all starts out with a confidentiality agreement at the very start. Davison will not push forward with your idea until this is filled out so that you can rest assured that they won’t steal your idea or take advantage of your trust. Once this is completed, they can help determine your patentability through an efficient evaluation and patent search.

This is when the fun part starts! Davison will walk you through everything from pre-development and brainstorming to the actual design and prototyping of your product. This is when you can really see your idea come to life and work out all of the kinks and details with experienced people who can make the process easier and more rewarding.

Once all of that is worked out and ready to go, though will also be there to help you create product samples, packaging designs, and, eventually, a finished product that they will be able to pitch to manufacturers. This is when Davison can help to get your product out of your brain and onto store shelves.

At the end of the day, you will be able to keep 90% of the profit (Davison will take 10%). Aside from that, all costs and fees are incurred throughout the development process, and once all is said and done, you won’t have a substantial financial burden to worry about.

That said, the fees can get pricey. Patent searches can start you off with a $600 bill followed by a $5,000-$8,000 prototyping cost and $1,000-$2,000 marketing package, so be sure to keep this in mind before pushing forward so that you can plan your finances ahead of time accordingly!

Best Features

 

To really dive into the quality of Davison and their services, let’s go ahead and start with their strengths. Knowing a company’s best features is the easiest way to know if you want to look into them further because it will let you know if they even offer what you are looking for.

Dedication

One of the best qualities that Davison possesses is their sheer dedication to each inventor. As soon as you provide your information, they reach out with a free information packet as well as persistent e-mails and phone calls to make sure you don’t let your idea slip from your mind.

This is especially helpful in the chaos of everyday life when it can be hard to remember to prioritize your invention. A company that only reaches out once and then forgets about you until you pester them can make it easy to give up on your dream. Davison won’t do that, and the fact that they refuse to give up on you makes it a lot harder for you to give up on yourself and your idea as well!

Experience

With over three decades of experience, there’s no doubt that Davison knows their way around inventions, IP law, and working with entrepreneurs. This is especially beneficial to young, fresh inventors who could benefit from more guidance and knowledge during their journey.

Plus, this means there is no shortage of reviews, testimonials, and other pieces of evidence you may want to look through to help give you an idea of how your experience could be expected to go. This is a luxury you aren’t afforded as often with newer companies since they don’t have as much previous experience to sift through to get an idea of what’s in store. Plus, any business that keeps pushing on for over 30 years is doing something right!

Open-Mindedness

If you are concerned about your idea being misunderstood, undervalued, or seen as too “niche” and unmarketable, you can check those worries at the door. Davison is great at being open-minded with a range of different ideas and invention types, so all you need to worry about is the quality of the idea you are bringing.

While there is merit in organizations who focus on specific types of ideas, it is also comforting to know that Davison will have the help you need regardless of the specifics. Inventors come from all kinds of different industries, solving problems in every area of life. It’s good to have a contact that is here to listen to all of them, not just a set few that fit into their focus and expertise.

Full-Service

Lastly, Davison is serious about offering the full package to their inventors. This helps to ensure that you are getting everything you could possibly need from one resource, and that’s critical in building a strong and positive relationship.

Not only will you be able to feel comfortable and familiar with the quality of the services you are receiving every step of the way, you will also be able to rest assured that they thoroughly understand the unique needs of you and your original idea. This gives you an advantage over people who seek different resources for every step in the process, especially since it can be a lengthy one.

Weaknesses

 

While there are many positive qualities to acknowledge, it is also important to note the weaknesses and shortcomings. Just as with any other company, there are some things to keep in mind.

Risk

Risk is the name of the game with invention and entrepreneurship, and it’s no different with Davison. Depending on your investment and longevity with Davison, you could wind up spending thousands of dollars. And, at the end of the day, there is never a guarantee that your invention will turn a profit.

In response to people who didn’t hit the motherload with their idea, Davison makes a conscious effort to help inventors maintain confidence and comfort. They do this at the very beginning with their confidentiality agreement, full transparency with past concerns with the FTC, and remaining as diligent in their response to complaints as they are to more positive and fair-weather parts of the process.

Unselective

This trait could be either a pro or a con depending on how you look at it, but ultimately, patent guidance benefits from a degree of pickiness and blunt honesty. If an idea isn’t worth pursuing, a professional should be upfront and send you back to the drawing board, not take you through the extensive process of submitting a patent application that won’t be approved or won’t return on the investment.

Davison is not particularly choosy when it comes to the inventions they will take on, so the best way to go about this is to not reach out until you are already confident in your idea. This can be achieved through free consultations with harder-to-please patent attorneys or using more resources than Davison as a standalone aid.

Expensive Commitment

Lastly, while the percentage Davison takes is only at 10%, the fees and other costs can add up rather quickly, especially when you commit to a long-term relationship with them and take advantage of all their offerings.

They can ask for several thousand dollars upfront once you tally up all of the services they offer, and this is a bold move to make if this is your first invention or you don’t have an extremely generous budget. Basically, if you are in the sweet spot of being serious and having the resources but not being experienced enough to take on all of these tasks (prototyping, marketing, etc.) on your own, Davison is an excellent option. Just be prepared to spend some change.

How They Compliment Bold Patents

 

As mentioned, Davison is most beneficial to you when it is one of multiple resources in your corner throughout your patent journey. This is an excellent place for Bold Patents attorneys to come in.

The most harmonious way to utilize both of these resources is to come to Bold Patents first. This is because we, as a selective group, will be thorough and honest about whether your idea is worth pursuing right away during your free consultation. This can save you a great deal of heartache and thousands of dollars if your idea isn’t up to snuff and needs more work.

That said, Davison can also add to your Bold Patents experience through their complete packages, particularly with the prototypes, product samples, and marketing options. This is where they start to get pricey, but if you’ve already done your due diligence with a Bold Patents attorney, you’ll be in a much more confident place to invest at that level.

Ultimately, Bold Patents and Davison help to fill in a lot of each other’s gaps in what they can offer you, the inventor. If you are ready to Go Big and Go Bold℠ with your idea and spend some capital to get it going, this combination could truly give you the head start you are looking for.

In Summary

At the end of the day, the best person to know if Davison is a good fit for you… is you! Every inventor has different needs, strengths, and weaknesses, so simply knowing what to expect by doing your homework (which is why you’re here!) is the most important part.

That said, here are some of the most important takeaways:

  • Davison is a full-service resource for inventors
  • They can help with everything from patent searches to prototyping and connecting you to manufacturers
  • Their biggest strengths are their dedication, experience, open-mindedness, and range of service offerings
  • Their biggest weaknesses are the risk, lack of exclusivity, and price
  • They can best compliment Bold Patents in the way that they bring different services and advice to the table to round out your experience

Of course, a Bold Patents attorney could beautifully compliment your Davison experience by making sure you have a dedicated, knowledgeable USPTO patent attorney in your corner every step of the way for the more patent-heavy parts of your journey. Do you think Davison will make a good fit for you and your invention?

Legal Note: This blog article does not constitute as legal advice. Although the article was written by a licensed USPTO patent attorney there are many factors and complexities that come into patenting an idea. We recommend you consult a lawyer if you want legal advice for your particular situation. No attorney-client or confidential relationship exists by simply reading and applying the steps stated in this blog article.

 

About the Author
J.D. Houvener is a Registered USPTO Patent Attorney who has a strong interest in helping entrepreneurs and businesses thrive. J.D. leverages his technical background in engineering and experience in the aerospace industry to provide businesses with a unique perspective on their patent needs. He works with clients who are serious about investing in their intellectual assets and provides counsel on how to capitalize their patents in the market. If you have any questions regarding this article or patents in general, consider contacting J.D. at https://boldip.com/contact/