Guide
From Idea to Product
Most Kansas inventors follow the same path, whether they know it or not. Here are the five steps, and where to get help with each one.
- 01
Validate the idea
Before you spend a dollar building, find out whether anyone will pay. Talk to people who have the problem you want to solve, and watch what they do rather than what they say. A Kansas SBDC advisor can help you run real market research for free.
Free consulting through the SBDC - 02
Protect what is yours
Once the idea holds up, lock in your priority date before you show it around. A provisional patent is cheap and buys you a year. Understand NDAs and trade secrets so you know what to share and what to hold back.
How to file a provisional patent - 03
Build a prototype
A rough prototype starts better conversations than any slide. Use a maker space to get access to 3D printers, laser cutters, and the people who know how to run them. Show the ugly version and let people react to it.
Maker spaces and inventor groups - 04
Fund the work
Research grants like SBIR and STTR pay for the risky early stage without taking equity. When you need more, angels and non-dilutive loans come next. Raise the cheapest money first and keep control as long as you can.
Grants and funding for inventors - 05
Move to production
When the design settles, match the right shop to the stage. Kansas has rapid prototyping, precision machining, and contract manufacturers from the Wichita aviation corridor to the Kansas City metro. Ask about minimums before you commit.
Kansas manufacturing resources