One Stop Inventing guide
How to Choose a Product Development Company (and Avoid Invention Scams)
If you've searched for help with an invention, you've probably seen dozens of companies promising to take your idea to market. Some are real engineering firms that build products. Others are "invention promoters" that charge thousands of dollars for reports and promises and never build anything. The US government has warned inventors about invention promotion scams for years, and the USPTO publishes complaints it receives about invention promoters.
Here's how to tell the difference before you pay anyone.
Product development company vs. invention promoter
| Product development company | Typical invention promoter | |
|---|---|---|
| What you pay for | Engineering deliverables: CAD files, prototypes, manufacturing files | "Evaluations," marketing binders, "presentations to companies" |
| What you get at the end | Something physical or technical you can use, own and take anywhere | A report and a promise |
| Pricing | Phased quotes tied to specific work | Large up-front package fees |
| Ownership | You keep your idea, files and patents | Sometimes royalties, equity or rights taken |
| Results | Products you can find for sale | Vague success stories, few real products |
| Team | Engineers and designers you can talk to | Mostly salespeople |
10 questions to ask before you hire anyone
- What exactly will I receive, and when? Ask for a written list of deliverables: CAD files, prototype, drawings, BOM, quotes. If the answer is "a market evaluation" or "a presentation package," be careful.
- Who owns my idea, files and patents? You should keep 100%. Read the contract for royalties, equity or "rights to represent" clauses.
- Can I see products you've actually built, for sale today? Ask for real product names you can look up.
- Can I see real reviews and testimonials? Look for video testimonials and reviews on Google and other independent sites, not only quotes on their own website.
- Who will work on my project? Ask whether they have in-house engineers, and where they are.
- Will you sign an NDA? A serious company will sign a mutual NDA before you share details.
- How is pricing structured? Phased pricing where you approve each step is safer than one big up-front package.
- Will you file my patent? A legitimate company that isn't a law firm will tell you it doesn't file patents, and will refer you to a registered patent attorney or agent. Only they should file. Be careful with anyone who "includes a patent" in a package without telling you who the attorney is.
- Can you help me manufacture? Real product developers have factories they work with and can explain how production, tooling and quality control will work.
- What happens if the idea isn't feasible? An honest company will tell you, even if that means less business for them.
Red flags
- Promises that your idea will make money, get licensed or be "presented to Fortune 500 companies"
- Pressure to sign today, or "special pricing" that expires in hours
- Praise for every idea, with no questions about how it works or who will buy it
- Large up-front fees for research or marketing before any engineering
- No clear answer about who owns the work
- No real products you can find for sale
- A company that asks for royalties or equity just to get started
Where to check a company
- The USPTO's published complaints about invention promoters. Search for the company's name.
- Google reviews and the Better Business Bureau.
- Court records and news for the company's name plus "lawsuit" or "FTC."
- The products themselves. Can you find them in stores or online?
How we work at One Stop Inventing
We wrote this guide because we compete with invention promoters every day, and inventors deserve to know the difference. Here's how we answer those questions:
- Deliverables, not binders. Engineering reviews, CAD, prototypes, manufacturing files and factory quotes.
- You keep 100% ownership of your idea, files and patents. No royalties, no equity to get started.
- Mutual NDA before you share details.
- Phased, transparent pricing. It starts with a $1,295 Preliminary Engineering Review, credited toward your prototyping and engineering phase, and every next phase is quoted before it starts.
- We don't file patents. We refer you to independent registered patent attorneys and give them your engineering package. How it works.
- Real products and real TV. Pacibaba is for sale at pacibaba.com and was featured on Project Pitch It. The Grocery Vest was on FOX's Snake Oil. See the features and our portfolio.
- Real team, real places. Headquarters at the University of Miami Life Science & Technology Park, a prototyping lab in Medellín, Colombia, and manufacturing through Hong Kong and a network of 315+ manufacturers.
- No guarantees we can't keep. We can't promise your product will sell, get licensed or get funded, and nobody honest can. What we promise is real engineering and a clear plan.
Frequently asked questions
Are all invention companies scams?
No. Many companies do real engineering and manufacturing work. The difference is in what you pay for and what you get. Use the questions above to check.
How much should a product development company cost?
It depends on your product. As a reference, a 3D CAD model typically costs $400 to $1,700, and a working prototype $2,000 to $22,000+. See our prototype cost guide.
Should a product development company take royalties?
Usually no. Most engineering firms charge for their work and you keep the rights to your product. Read any agreement carefully for royalty or equity terms.
Can a product development company get my product into stores?
They can help you get ready for retail, with a manufactured product, packaging and pricing. Nobody can guarantee a retailer will buy it, so be careful with anyone who does.
Get an honest review of your idea
Submit your idea under our NDA. Our engineers will tell you what it will really take.