What might an idea look like?

We don't expect that students will be inventing the light bulb! Starbucks didn't invent coffee, but they have a very successful business model. There's nothing wrong with an idea about how to provide a "better" coffee buying experience than the next guy!

Here are a few samples that we came up with:

PRODUCT

Example One
Web site development is unnecessarily complex because different web browsers display the same HTML code differently. It is hard to test this because you currently need to own both a PC and a Mac and to have copies of all of the popular browsers. My Idea is to build a tool that allows you to preview a web site as it would be rendered on these multiple platforms with different browsers, and different versions of the browsers, so that QA testing of web sites is less costly and less time consuming.

Example Two
As our society spends more and more time in our automobiles, the interiors of our cars are becoming a home away from home. Unfortunately, this also means that they are subject to food spills and the strange assortment of debris that is tracked in by kids and pets. I have been doing research to create a chemical compound that will be more effective than the current stain repellants in treating the seats and carpeting of a car so that our home away from home looks just as good in its later years as when you drive the car off the lot.

SERVICE

Example One Most small companies don’t have a resident technology expert, yet they are becoming increasingly dependent on computers to keep their business going. I believe that there is a need for a company that will offer a low-cost package to service businesses with ten or fewer employees. We will keep the costs low by standardizing on a set of common business applications that will be implemented in a standard fashion at all sites. We will visit each office on a rotating schedule doing proactive maintenance to minimize the number of emergency calls. We will ensure that best practices are followed, including regular updates, virus scanning and offsite backups. Cost can be contained through the restriction of software applications to a small, known set and through effective planning of routes for the service team, who will arrive on site on a pre-arranged schedule. We will offer optional lessons in basic computer skills for office workers.

Example Two My Bright Idea is a mobile concierge service for small to mid-sized businesses in Rochester. We can increase productivity by running simple errands for employees who would otherwise have to spend time out of the office. We would be paid a monthly retainer by the employer and a per service fee by the employees.

How often have you said, "Someone out to invent -----?" This could be your chance to earn money with your Bright Idea!