Commercialization part 2

Greetings,

One of the functions of this blog is to give fairly current updates of what is happening with the Disruptive Wind saga. This may be extremely boring to friends or family not that interested. Hopefully you can spot these type of posts and ignore them. 

That said, here is more back and forth with the IP broker: IP: Intellectual Property (patents, etc,)

She replies:

Hi Peter,

I will try my best to answer your questions/concerns.

We don't advertise.  We aren't an invention promotion firm.  We don't help people or advise anyone to get patents.  We help after the fact. After the patent has been issued.  We are simply a brokerage firm that specializes in the commercialization of new technology. So the questions really don’t apply to our firm.

(1) The total number of inventions evaluated by the invention promoter for commercial potential in the past 5 years, as well as the number of those inventions that received positive evaluations, and the number of those inventions that received negative evaluations..  Our evaluations are for us only.  We’ve only been in business for 2 years and work with less than 5% of the patents we evaluate.  We invest our own money into the expenses so we are extremely selections.  We work with about 60-70 projects a year.

(2)The total number of customers who have contracted with the invention promoter in the past 5 years, not including customers who have purchased trade show services, research, advertising, or other non-marketing services from the invention promoter, or who have defaulted in their payment to the invention promoter.. We only have one program, we don’t do ala carte.  Again, we work with about 60-70 client per year.

(3)The total number of customers known by the invention promoter to have received a net financial profit as a direct result of the invention promotion services provided by such invention promoter.  Our success rate is just less than 10%

(4)The total number of customers known by the invention promoter to have received license agreements for their inventions as a direct result of the invention promotion services provided by such invention promoter. We license or sell just less than 10% of the patents we work with.

(5)The names and addresses of all previous invention promotion companies with which the invention promoter or its officers have collectively or individually been affiliated in the previous 10 years.

None.

I think the next thing is to set up a phone call so I can tell you exactly what we do, and make myself available for your questions.  What is the best time for you?

Amy Schleicher

Director of Business Development

BankOnIP

<contact info deleted>

I reply:

Hello Amy,

Sorry about the confusion,it was not immediately apparent you are an IP broker. Certainly, if you have strong interest on the buy side, you should consider adding me as a client as this innovation has already proven to be a real world success functionally. See this video: http://youtu.be/VIxJ1OoN5g0 . This is our kit version prototype that simply attaches to an existing windsurf board. Naish International has expressed strong interest as a distribution channel worldwide for the kit version. It is very tempting to go for it all and go into manufacturing and grow the business organically. However, international patenting is very expensive and needs to start soon. Looking at Europatent and a half dozen other countries. PCT is already complete. Ignore the Russian BS opinion, you get what you pay for with ROSPATENT!  Anyway, I'm not even talking to companies right now as I am working on new videos (marketing, instructional, infomercial) and doing more product development using some new materials and ideas.I do not currently have a prototype ready for demo or shipment. Targeting mid February for prototypes and videos. Also, I do not have a business plan completed that can verify 1000% ROI for angel groups. I am open to an active investor, licensing, or outright sale. I do have future projects clamoring for attention! So to pass this off and getting back to more inventing would be great. 

I re-read your e-mail and see that you have only one program? Please send me a summary and I'll look at it. This should really be on your website, as well as write ups of your team members, success stories, and a lot more. All for now, thanks!   Peter Schulz / Disruptive Wind

Commercialization status

Dynamic Foot Repositioning Systems Commercialization

Peter Schulz <disruptivewind@gmail.com>	10:30 AM (2 minutes ago)
to Amy

Hello Amy,

I just received your letter dated Dec. 12, 2014. I was out of the country talking to potential angel investors. No deal has been signed yet and we continue to be receptive to all paths.

I am hopeful BankOnIP can facilitate a deal for us with companies and/or investors you have relationships with. Your website was a bit light on information so I am afraid that I must exercise some "due diligence" and ask you to send me the following information:

(1) The total number of inventions evaluated by the invention promoter for commercial potential in the past 5 years, as well as the number of those inventions that received positive evaluations, and the number of those inventions that received negative evaluations..

(2)The total number of customers who have contracted with the invention promoter in the past 5 years, not including customers who have purchased trade show services, research, advertising, or other non-marketing services from the invention promoter, or who have defaulted in their payment to the invention promoter..

(3)The total number of customers known by the invention promoter to have received a net financial profit as a direct result of the invention promotion services provided by such invention promoter.

(4)The total number of customers known by the invention promoter to have received license agreements for their inventions as a direct result of the invention promotion services provided by such invention promoter.

(5)The names and addresses of all previous invention promotion companies with which the invention promoter or its officers have collectively or individually been affiliated in the previous 10 years.

I have suffered from the "lone wolf" syndrome and have finally realized that more help is needed. This innovation is going to be a big success if handled properly. I look forward to your reply!   

  Thanks,    Peter Schulz

As you can see from the letter, Disruptive Wind is trying to bridge the gap between inventing/product development and entrepreneuring, which is where many companies fail. 

I am trying not to be one of them. Reaching out is risky business, but necessary for success.  This blog is a unique way of doing so as we refine our consumer product, which is still purposefully "pre-revenue". Rest assured I'll be personally knocking on doors before long with an awesome product. "Early bird gets the worm" means if you are reading this, and recognize the opportunity for YOUR company, get in touch! "Actively seeking innovation" is what gets results and I will certainly put things on hold to talk to you. Our future depends on it. Thanks.

Full moon over Eagle Cap

Merry Christmas!

Holiday Greetings! (here follows my version of the annual XMAS letter!)
What a year it has been.
I'd love to brag that I have traveled the planet promoting the MoaB (TM) Repositioner, but I have actually only been inside an area 8000 miles wide that lies wholly above the equator.
And I must confess that a LOT more of my energy has been directed towards keeping prototype testing and product development secret  (before the patent issued). In any event, it has been a VERY busy year and I did get my passport stamped for the first time.
Emma and I had a very lovely small wedding at our home in Troutdale in May.

My brother-in-law Jim and I backpacked in the eastern Oregon Wallowas in August, our first time visiting such an amazing landscape of mountains and lakes.

I continue to work as a clinical laboratory scientist for Providence Health and Services, providing bench coverage and growing my knowledge and skills in lab medicine.
And I had the best year of health in a decade. Not a single incidence of sustained arrhythmia!
Very few gluten exposures! No concussions!
Windsurfed 10 out of 12 months this year, with the total number of sessions a new lifetime record (by far).

Of course I have my new full time job as an inventor and product developer at Disruptive Wind to both thank and curse. It has kept me fully engaged and occupied on my personal mission to "save" windsurfing. I have met so many new great people, new friends. I apologize to those friends and family that I did not have as much time for as we both would have liked; I hope this can change in the future!

A brief bit about project "Dark Side":
I was graciously invited by my friend Cully (in yellow helmet above) to spend some time on his island helping get the place ready for the season and making sure all the great water sport toys were in working order. As luck would have it, there was plenty of great windsurfing to be had, as well as fine conditions for the other sports as well. Here's a link to his blog/website:
http://belizeadventure.com/2014/12/belizes-windy-early-season/

From a business standpoint: because I was unable to import a MoaB (TM) Repositioner to the island (airplane/customs/financial reasons), all the windsurfing I did there was "old school". This proved to be very helpful as I was able to "relearn" the sport as it has been traditionally practiced. Thus verifying the benefits of my invention and gaining some new insights during the process. I was able to have discussions with other world class water sport adventurers as well, which helped me to refine how I explain this to others. They also offered some great ideas and perspective. I am greatly encouraged by their support!
I should wrap this up so I will leave you with a 6 minute video I made of an amazing event: a hatch of endangered Hawksbill sea turtles! We helped every last one of the 157 make it safely to the sea!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcXIhtv_jcM
Have a great 2015!

Disruptive

Greetings,
http://www.iwasphotographed.com/Nov-1-2014-Swell-City-images-l/i-SmGXL27/A

Turns out I was also caught by Stawicki as I arrived on the famous downwinder that set records from Viento to the Hatchery. He took 25 pictures of me! Fairly sedate stuff as the wind was dropping fast and left me floating just east of the Hatchery 2 miles short of my Hood River goal. I had to swim in which was no easy trick as I was firmly in the grip of the locally strong current.

Today's true topic : Disruptive. The MoaB (TM) positioner (patent # 8,870,615) makes drop hopping and all kinds of cool fast jibes fun and easy. But what I envision disrupting the sport of windsurfing is the vast majority of "failed" jibes , which are not failures at all. I call them "dunk" jibes and a good example of one is seen in the video at the 5 minute mark. This 10 seconds is the most significant of the video. Because the ability to learn a SURE THING can help everyone from a learner to a racer to an expert. More about this later.

I am leaving for a month on a discreet project, code named "Dark Side". I will be off the grid in a remote part of the world. I may not be able to communicate electronically.
I'll blog again as soon as I can. Wish me luck!   - Peter

Drop Hopping

Greetings,

Small world. It appears that I am in this video (at 30 seconds, look for orange sail on the left). I maintain that my version of "drop hopping" is more fun! (And it's just one of the many things you can do on a windsurfing downwinder)
Drop hopping defined : after riding straight down the steep swell (dropping in) , using a burst of applied energy (if needed) to climb up the back of the next swell and drop in on that one and the next and the next,,,,each drop is a huge rush, very addictive!
I would have to say I got hooked on this doing downwinders off the north shore of Maui, such as from Ho'okipa to Kanaha. Swells the size of houses that roll on for miles and miles...

Stand Up Paddleboarders are catching on to drop hopping in a big way. As seen in the video above. Not only do they get the repeated "surfing" thrills, but drop hopping for them means they can use the power of these swells to dramatically reduce their own energy expended to get from start to finish.

I got my first taste of it over 3 decades ago when I was a young and crazy surfer. I loved going out in giant surf and riding the whitewater. If you can catch the right wave: faster and larger than the others, it will overtake the waves in front and you can "go down the stairs" as we called it back then. I'll never forget the 9-12 foot swell (~20 foot face) that I caught way out at "The Point" and rode half of a mile all the way to the beach, dropping down a dozen or so "stairs" in the process!

When drop hopping windsurfing in the gorge, the perfect situation exists when the wind is NOT perfectly aligned with the river and the power of your sail is just enough to climb over the next swell back without a pump. Then you can head straight upriver going fast and furious on a wild ride that does not even seem possible. There's nothing like it!

I'll try to pick out a short video clip later. Meanwhile, I've got to pack for a month long overseas adventure! - Peter

November Blow Out Training

Stawiki Photography

Greetings,

I made the cover! JP 112 with MoaB repositioner , 5.7 Loft . I was actually looking for pictures from yesterday's EPIC downwinder when I saw my famous orange sail with the Starboard emblem as the lead photo for July 28, 2014 pictures taken off Swell City, At the time this set of pictures was taken, I was busy chasing down (trying to video) one of our beta testers (Roger) who was testing a MoaB repositioner on our Starboard Fish 95. It was Roger's first time using a MoaB repositioner and he was jibing up a storm in poor conditions from the moment he launched! A true natural. Brought tears to my eyes. I felt really bad taking the board away from him. It remains my favorite of the entire fleet of over 2 dozen prototypes constructed to date. I used it yesterday, with the same 5.7 Loft, in my crazy journey from Viento to a swim-in ending east of the Hatch. I say crazy because the great wind at the start soon transformed into very poor quality up-and-down, gusty wind that had way too much north in it. There was a zone just west of Mitchell Point that was almost impossible to get through. The plus side of all the crappy NW wind was that when I did get lit up, on a giant gust/surge, it provided me with some of the best "drop hopping" yet as my line of travel was straight upriver over sets of giant closely stacked swells! Unbelievably fun and exciting. I can not even imagine being able to do this without the benefit of the MoaB repositioner.

I feel like the luckiest man on the planet. - Peter