Posted on August 5, 2011 by Sandra Clifton
Do you have a great idea but are afraid to tell others about it, for fear of feeling foolish? Do you stay up nights tinkering with contraptions in the garage that never see the light of day? Ever wish for the funding to create your “dream design”, but feel frustrated by a lack of resources, time, support, or funds? In days past, inventors worked in isolation, testing their ‘crazy schemes’ in laboratories alone…facing critics and naysayers who laughed at their insane ideas.
But not today – thanks to the vision and innovation of a 24-year old maverick, Ben Kaufman. He has created a think tank of innovators and collaborators in New York City through his smart little start-up company called Quirky. Anyone can submit a problem they’ve encountered, and their solution to fix it – Then a community of engineers, teachers, retired executives, and amateur inventors vote each month on the two most popular submissions in order to fuel a dream invention to its creation. It’s an amazing journey for little ideas that deserve big attention. View this process of collaboration on Quirky’s website (www.quirky.com) by clicking the link called “Watch Our Manifesto” and expect to be inspired.
Through a team of supporters as close to your fingertips as the keys on your laptop, you can draft a proposal for the “quirky” idea running around in your mind and launch this crazy vision from your dreams into the board room of production. “We’re going to take your idea from your head to store shelves in six to eight weeks”, Kaufman told students at premier design schools across the country this past semester (Entrepreneur Magazine, August 2011). Additionally, they aren’t leaving anyone out of the financial rewards: each individual who contributes to the polished product shares a piece of the profit pie.
It’s not too late to innovate – in fact, your idea may be right on time…Now all you’ve got to do is believe – and start typing – to join Kaufman’s Quirky team. Thomas Edison once said, “If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves”.        Ben Kaufman is building that truth, one little invention at a time.