Inventors Groups of America – Educating and Empowering Inventors

What We Do

IGA is a group founded in 2017 by the leaders of the inventing community.  Our goal is two-fold: 1) we want to teach individuals how to best commercialize their product ideas, and 2) we want to strengthen and support inventor groups throughout the nation.

Ideas from individuals drive innovation.  Many inventors do not have the knowledge or tools to commercialize their products whether by starting their own business or licensing.

IGA provides inventors with resources, information, access and support.  Our website offers a place for inventors to learn and share.  Our monthly meetings provide guest speakers as well as a platform for members to ask questions, share suggestions, and get assistance from others in the group.  We offer best practices on the following topics:

  • Definitions of licensing and venturing terms
  • General information on various industries
  • Intellectual property strategies, particularly for those on a budget
  • Trade show listings
  • Steps for licensing product ideas gathered from experts
  • Tips on venturing from proven successful entrepreneurs
  • Directory of local and regional inventor organizations

Who We Are

IGA COFOUNDERS AND ADVISORY BOARD

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Stephen Key – CoFounder IGA

Author, Speaker, Columnist, and Expert on licensing and intellectual property strategy

  • American Association for the Advancement of Science — Lemelson Invention Ambassador.
  • Forbes, Entrepreneur, Inc, and Core77 columnist
  • Speaker/Guest Lecturer at leading universities worldwide
  • Author One Simple Idea – best selling book on licensing
  • CoFounder inventRight
    • Created largest free online library on the topic of licensing – inventright.com – over 1 million visits per year
    • inventRight YouTube channel with over 300 free videos – 600,000 visits in 2017
    • Students in over 60 countries

Additional Information

  • Over 20 patents, defended patents in Federal Court
  • Licensed dozens of products sold in Walmart. 7-Eleven and Disney stores
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Andrew Krauss – CoFounder IGA

Speaker and Expert on licensing

  • Former President of Bay Area Inventor’s Alliance
  • Advisor to White House on innovation
  • Speaker at USPTO, NPR’s Science Friday
  • Educating and mentoring inventors for over two decades
  • CoFounder inventRight
    • Created largest free online library on the topic of licensing – inventright.com – over 1 million visits per year
    • inventRight YouTube channel with over 300 free videos – 600,000 visits in 2017
    • Students in over 60 countries
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Gene Quinn – Advisory Board IGA

Author, Speaker and Expert on Patent Law and Innovation Policy

  • Founder and Editor of IP Watchdog started in 1999, top 100 legal blog, several times top IP blog
  • 2014 inducted into the ABA Blawg Hall of Fame after being the top law blog for the prior two years
  • 2017 recognized by IAM Magazine as one of the top IP strategists in the world

Additional Information

  • Teacher – university courses on patent law, claim drafting, copyright and trademark law
  • Civil litigator and patent attorney
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Joe Finkler – Advisory Board IGA

President of Michigan Inventors Coalition

  • Past President of Grand Rapids & Muskegon inventors Network.
  • Involved with inventors, marketers and entrepreneurs for over 19 years!
  • Got his start Co-owning “As Seen on TV” stores in Muskegon and Grand Rapids, MI.
  • Bought and sold over 4,500 products for retail & internet sales.
  • Worked with local WZZM 13 to develop the “Try It Before You Buy It” segment.
  • Pitch contest Judge 21 times, Pitch to the Pro’s Panel (Chicago International Housewares show)
  • Keynote Speaker at many events around Michigan.
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Louis Foreman   – Advisory Board IGA

Author, Speaker, Inventor, Expert on patent reform and intellectual property

  • Founder and CEO Enventys Partners, Edison Nation and Edison Nation Medical
  • Creator of Emmy Award winning “Everyday Edisons” PBS show
  • Elected in 2010 and now President of the Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation (IPO)
  • Board member of The United Inventors Association.
  • Appointed by United States Secretary of Commerce to serve a 3-year term on the Patent Public Advisory Committee of the USPTO
  • Chairman of the Board of the James Dyson Foundation

Additional Information

  • Over 10 patents
  • Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Queen’s University and McColl School of Business
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Aimee Carroll   – Advisory Board IGA

Connector, Speaker, Advocate, Creator & Entrepreneur

  • Leading team member and inventor outreach & coordinator at Edison Nation
  • Member of Edison Nation Inventor Advisory Board
  • Co-owner & managing operator at 101Co3 assisting in development & growth of start-ups, small businesses, inventor & entrepreneurship skills
  • Owner of Aspire Design & Innovations, LLC; connecting entrepreneurs, inventors and start-ups with people and resources for growth & support
  • Member of Edison Nation Leadership Team
  • Founding and current organizer of 1 Million Cups South Bend-Elkhart; an entrepreneur program started by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
  • Collaborative partner with ISBDC for inventor relations

Email: [email protected]

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Courtney Laschkewitsch – Managing Director IGA  –  [email protected]

Serial Inventor, Speaker, and Entrepreneur

  • Founder of StarFlyer Ideas, LLC
  • inventRight Coach
  • Founder of Intersnapable
  • NEXTies Inaugural Youth Division Winner (for Entrepreneurship) 2015
  • Regional Winner for the 2012-2013 National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) Award for Aspirations in Computing
  • National Runner-Up for the 2012-2013 National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) Award for Aspirations in Computing
  • Presidential Volunteer Service Award – Gold Level
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Madeleine Key – Marketing Director  –  [email protected]

Madeleine Key has been writing about intellectual property, inventing, and entrepreneurship for more than 15 years. As a ghostwriter, her work has appeared online in The New York Times, TIME, Forbes, Inc., Entrepreneur, Fast Company, Business Insider, CNBC, Yahoo Finance, The Globe and Mail, and more.

In 2015, she expanded and revised One Simple Idea, the bestselling how-to book about product licensing. With more than 800 5-star reviews on Amazon, it has been taught in numerous college courses, including the MBA program at the University of Fairbanks in Alaska; the University of California at Merced, and the University of the Pacific.

She is the longtime social media director for inventRight, the beloved coaching company, as well as the lead developer of its learning management system.

In 2019, she helped create and administer “How to Launch a Product Without Starting a Business,” a 10-unit course for the University of Newcastle in Australia. To her knowledge, it is the first and only undergraduate course devoted wholly to product licensing.

As of 2021, she serves on the Communications Committee for the Center for Intellectual Property Understanding.

As a freelance journalist based in Oakland, her articles about arts and culture were featured in the SF Chronicle, East Bay Express, CALIFORNIA magazine, and on the website Civil Eats. She began writing for The Modesto Bee as a teen and cemented her interest in storytelling at The Daily Californian, UC Berkeley’s student newspaper.

Currently, she lives on the road in a built-out Sprinter van with her husband John and their Welsh Terrier Bear.