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Listen to what people are saying about the MIC!
For new and experienced inventors, attending the education workshops at the expo is the best investment to make to assure success through the invention process.
Ken Wilson, Wilson Marketing Group, Plymouth MN
The seminars are fact based and provide inventors with the tools necessary to make intelligent decisions in the invention development process.
John Calvert, US Patent and Trademark Office. Arlington VA
My exhibition with the Minnesota Inventors Congress in 1986 was like
the moment of birth of my healthy new start-up called Nada-Chair. I
learned that the process of birthing a business works in reverse: true
labor pains begin in earnest after the moment of delivery and grow
daily thereafter. But 20 years of challenges and growth have not
lessened my appreciation for the great care, skill and professional
supervision MIC provided me at this critical time. Confidence was
built from interactions of attendees who became customers at the show.
Sure footing was provided by the patent and legal counsel that was
readily available without strings attached. Finally, exposure I
received in the press was better promotion than I could have ever hoped
for (given the two dimes I had pressed between forefinger and thumb had
already been committed elsewhere). My “get rich slow” scheme has given
me and my company many productive years and I thank the staff at the
Minnesota Inventors Congress for being there at the start and for
following up faithfully since. I look forward to exhibiting again in
2007 with what I hope will be an easier product to market.
Victor T., St. Paul MN (2006)
To all whom made MIC 2003 the most organized expo I have ever seen.
First, I would like to thank all of the founders, directors and also
the behind the scenes people who I occasionally would see doing this or
that as I was displaying at my booth. These individuals I found to be
most helpful and courteous, even concerning my most trivial questions.
I must say also that some of my questions were quite stupid no, let’s
say lacking content and I still don’t know how they managed to keep
straight faces when asked questions lacking content. Also thank you,
to those whom helped me get to the expo. These people I know remember
me, and my lacking content questions. Their patience should be
rewarded with some type of sainthood award. Thanks to the founders and
veterans from whom bestowed their unwritten knowledge and experiences
with all of us. To the city of Redwood Falls, I would consider moving
to such a town, thank you to all the sponsors, businesses and chamber.
I also thank all who attended the conference you all were welcoming and
you helped make my days fly by, thank you for your input for my
research. If you were involved with MIC and I missed you, Thank you
too. I hope to come back next year with perhaps a clean invention, God
willing. Thank you all.
Chad C., Tigerton WI (2003)
I don’t know if you remember me, my name is Bob P. I spoke with you on
the phone during this last summer. You gave me tons of advice and
informed me about a provisional patent process using available
software. Along with your advice and the computer program, I now have
a provisional patent filed with the Patent and Trademark Office. I
truly am thankful and feel lucky that I spoke with you. It was nice of
you take the time to explain things and help me. Many Many Thank Yous.
Bob P. (2007)
I am the last person to ever endorse government spending. However,
there is an organization I had reason to get involved with which gets a
small stipend from the state. They deserve the support they receive.
The Minnesota Inventors Congress not only helped me with extraordinary
information about an idea I had, but saved me from a “scam”
Dick H., New Brighton MN (2005)
Step Saver was incorporated in December 1995 by Chuck Steffl. Roger
Hansen from Equity Elevator came up with the idea back in 1993, Equity
bought an old delivery system from I think a company in Benson that had
been acquired or sold (I can’t remember). The patent was filed on
December 20, 1993 and was issued on August 29, 1995. Roger Hansen is
listed as the inventor, and Equity Elevator is the Assignee. There was
no work done until approx. September of 1995 on this project. Roger
and the board of Equity Elevator wanted to set this up as a subsidiary
or a complete different entity. Roger convinced me to take on this
project, so sometime in August or September on 1995 I started working
on the project.
At that time I believe we started out with approx. 15 customers in the
Wood Lake area. With the help of Equity Elevator, attorneys, etc.,
Step Saver was incorporated in December of 1995. After incorporation
Step Saver needed dollars to fund operations and growth so I started
working with a firm in Minneapolis to do a stock offering. It took
until February of 1997 for the SEC to approve Step Saver so we could
raise funds. In the initial offering we were able to acquire funds
from approx. 350 investors. Step Saver did subsequent offerings to
continue raising funds for operations and growth.
During 1996 Step Saver attended the MIC and earned a Gold Medal for
it’s product. Step Saver had three employees, Chuck Steffl, Joel McCoy
(Joel is still with me) and Carol Hinz and a couple of part time
employees. Step Saver delivered approx. 200,000 lbs of salt for the
year 1996. Currently Step Saver has 15 full time and 4 part time
employees, and we deliver on average approx. 1,500,000 lbs of salt per
MONTH to approx. 1600 customers. Step Saver also has developed its own
sidewalk de-icer, rents & sells water softeners to residential and
commercial accounts. Step Saver has two rail sites, one in Wood Lake,
MN and one in Morton, MN. The current area Step Saver delivers covers
an area West to Volga, SD; Brookings, SD; Appleton; Montevideo;
Willmar; Melrose; the seven county Metro areas; Eastern WI; down to
Rochester; and back to SD. Step Saver has a lot of customers inside
the circle.
Sometime in late 2002 Bixby Energy Systems located in Rogers, MN was
just getting started and raising capital and had a new investor which
had invested in Step Saver and I believe mentioned to Bixby about Step
Savers revolutionary delivery service which Bixby had a strong desire
to deliver Bio Mass fuel to its customers for their future furnaces.
Step Saver had started working with a patent attorney to get a patent
for the delivery of biomass fuels. Step Saver currently has a patent
pending for delivery of Bio Mass fuels. Bixby since has acquired Step
Saver and Step Saver is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Bixby Energy
Systems. Bixby Energy Systems if founded by Bob Walker.
In August 2003 Step Saver moved its offices to Redwood Falls, MN, built
a second rail site located in Morton, MN in 2004 and keeps on adding
customers. Step Saver presented the Bixby Stove and our revolutionary
new bio mass delivery service at the Redwood Falls Home show this
spring and had a lot of interest. Step Saver is currently working on
building a 3rd rail site which will serve the Metro area.
Step Saver also has licensees located in MN, SD, IA, UT, ID, OH and IN that utilized the Step Saver Patented System.
Chuck Steffl, Belview MN (2006)
MIC is a great place to start.
Mark E., Flandreau SD
MIC and a good patent attorney!
Dominic C., Starbuck MN
Siemens has displayed at MIC’s Expo for the past three years. On our
first visit, in 2001, we were extremely impressed with the quality of
the show, which you have maintained, or even improved each year.
We also display at several of the other regional shows, and each year
we say that MIC’s Expo is the standard to which the others need to
aspire.
Keep up the GOOD WORK, and we will see you again next year.
Bill Siemens & Ed Smith, Fredericksburg, VA (2003)
I’ve written down some of my thoughts regarding the impact that the MIC has had on our invention.
1. We met our patent attorney at a MIC seminar. He worked well with
our group, and filed our patent application before we exhibited at the
MIC in 2003.
2. Our patent was issued by the US Patent & Trademark Office in July, 2004.
3. Our trademark was approved by the US Patent & Trademark Office September, 2004.
4. We have applied for a second patent, and also a second trademark for a different application and market for the product.
5. We have recently signed a Letter of Intent with a company that we
met while we were exhibiting at the MIC. This Minnesota-based company
will handle the financial backing, marketing, manufacturing, and sales
of our products.
6. We spent a significant amount of money in Minnesota while we
worked on the research and development of our product. We purchased
the raw materials and the CNC machining of our parts for many
prototypes. We have also spent a significant amount of money on
attorney fees for our patents and trademarks, and are currently working
with an attorney and a CPA to establish a corporation for our 4
business partners.
The MIC has had a major impact on our invention. The MIC allowed us
the opportunity to exhibit our invention to the public for the first
time. The invention was very well received by the public, and it gave
us the confidence to continue the process to develop a well designed
and marketable product to a potentially huge market. The atmosphere
surrounding the Minnesota Inventors Congress is very positive, and
having so many creative people together in this environment would be
difficult, if not impossible, to duplicate without this format. The
community of Redwood Falls does an outstanding job of hosting this
event.
Thanks for all your assistance.
Joel M., Albert Lea MN (2005)
We would really like to thank you for your hospitality at the congress
this weekend. We felt genuinely welcomed at the show and from the town
of Redwood Falls.
We had a wonderful time and it was an unforgettable experience for all of us. We were truly honored to receive the Awards.
We will spread the work about the Congress and are looking forward to next year.
Tom R., Connie R., Dave P., Martin B., and Dave C., Mahtomedi MN (2006)
Thanks loads for your help. I hope I can be back at your show soon
with the finished product and a success story that became a success
because of my participation in the MIC. That participation was the
motivation that kept this thing going.
Robert V., Iola Grove IA (2007)
The MIC is by far the best resource I have found.
Marlin O., Comfrey MN
This is a very good place to start. Listen to what people say.
Walter W., Pittsville WI
Attend the Workshops – very informative.
Raphael Isaac, Great Neck NJ
MIC is devoted to the process of inventing….their good reputation is
the drawing card for reputable manufacturers looking for new products.
Bob Lougher, Executive Director, United Inventors Association. (2002)
2008 Testimonial
Tom Pasinki, President, The Paint Glider Co.
Thank You's for the 2008 Invention and Idea Show
Tom Pasinki, President, The Paint Glider Co.
© Minnesota Inventors Congress 2008
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