Inventors from across the Mountain State will gather this spring in South Charleston for an inaugural meeting of the minds.
The West Virginia Inventors Society (WVIS) will launch April 21 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the West Virginia Regional Technology Park. As the brainchild of businessmen and entrepreneurs Linwood Hamilton and Brian Joseph, WVIS will provide a forum for inventors at all stages of the development process to network, evaluate each other’s ideas, connect to entrepreneurial resources and potentially secure investors.
“Not only do we want to invite seasoned inventors to participate, but anyone who has an idea for an invention that they’d like to vet,” Hamilton explained. “We also welcome service providers, intellectual property experts, community lenders, angel investors and others who can help move ideas from concept to commercialization.”
The event will be hosted by the Technology Park, the Robert C. Byrd Institute (RCBI) at Marshall University and West Virginia Executive magazine.
“We at RCBI are excited to be involved in the creation of the West Virginia Inventors Society,” said Derek Scarbro, RCBI deputy director. “Our clients, many of whom are inventors and entrepreneurs, frequently mention the need for such a group, one in which like-minded individuals can interact, brainstorm and share best practices. This is another important way for us to support product development and innovation in West Virginia.”
To attend the free WVIS kickoff, register at www.rcbi.org/inventors. For more information, contact Scarbro at (304) 781-1684.
