Pioneers promote the next new thing at invention show

Pioneers promote the next new thing at invention show. Inventor Claudio Carosi shows Neil Clark his self loading wheelbarrow invention at the Great Candaian Inventions Show Saturday in Memorial Hall. (Nov. 6, 2010) Staff photo/DAN PEARCE

Thirty-six inventors presented their inventions to about 30 Toronto and surrounding area business owners hoping to find someone who believed in their product enough to invest in it, get their idea to manufacturer and eventually, retail.

The inventions were in all stages of development including ideas still in drawing form and those developed as far as the prototypes and finished product stage. Regardless, what they all had in common is someone believed they were a great idea.

Khaled Moftah thinks his product, the Musical Hat, is both fun and a necessity for those who enjoy music on the go. The Musical Hat, which is a winter hat that has a music system built in the lining, means that music is available at the touch of a button, no wires, no fuss.

While the idea is only in the infancy stage of development, the Scarborough inventor came to the show, held at North York Civic Centre's Memorial Hall in early November, in the hopes of finding someone to help launch his idea, and is confident people would buy it if it's developed.

"You can hear music with one simple step, and with winter coming you need a hat," he said. "I figured if I wanted a product like this, other people would like one, too."

Toronto engineer Dave Carter was there to find an investor for his product, the Electronic Water Purifier that he says can reduce the chemicals in the water of swimming pools, Jacuzzis and hot tubs by as much as 85 per cent.

While Carter didn't invent the original idea for the product, he has been involved from the beginning, including being part of the initial testing of the prototype.

Carter said he attended the show hoping to finding an investor to take the product from the prototype stage to the commercialization stage, as it's already been seven years in the works.

"It takes money and effort and time and there are obstacles you run in to that you overcome...it's not uncommon for it to take this amount of time," Carter said.

Besides being a great opportunity for the inventors, event organizer Otto Schmidt said it's equally so for businesses because they are able to get the first glimpses of new, original products that could potentially be added to their product line.

"Ninety-nine per cent of those inventions are just behind the scenes or are being sold by the inventors independently; they don't have distribution yet and the product hasn't gone into the market yet," he said. "It could mean a whole new product line for their company."

This means if a business owner finds a product they think would be right for their business, Schmidt said they would get exclusive rights to that product if they decide to partner with the inventor.

"There is tremendous opportunity to add to their sales line and attract a whole new clientele with a brand new product," he said.

Kris Shantz owns Happy Worker in Toronto, a company that sells fun, novelty toys and gifts for adults. It invents, designs and manufactures its own products and is always looking for new and innovative products.

Shantz said he attended the inventions show to support the inventors and seek out a great new product. He said Happy Worker receives several emails and phone calls each week from people who claim they have an idea for a product that would be perfect for his company. However, most are just ideas and Shantz said it was nice to see that many of the products at the show were beyond that stage.

"There were four inventors that had items that were in our purview that have something to them...and I liked that most of the guys had done their work and had real prototypes," he said.

Businesses owners who are interested in attending the next invention show, which is slated for May, can contact Otto Schmidt at 416-226-2332.