Royal Oak Inventor Turns to Crowdfunding to Take Invention to Market

Royal Oak inventor Todd Bauswell is launching a campaign on Indiegogo.com to help produce his invention and launch it into the kitchenware market.

Through Indiegogo, he hopes to generate enough funding to produce Cool Grip, an innovative microwaveable tray that never gets hot in the microwave, is safe to handle without oven mitts and helps keep spills, boil-overs and messes contained.

The useful, practical kitchen product has had its share of interest from some of the biggest kitchen product companies in the nation and was a finalist in the TeleBrands Inventors Day Competition. The economy, however, had a hand in keeping Cool Grip from physically getting to market and getting on store shelves. Though companies have shown an active interest, they are reluctant to provide funding for new products at all, especially those that aren't created inside their own organization.

"Even though it was extremely well received at the TeleBrands competition and showed tremendous sales potential, companies just aren't putting money into new products because of the economy," said Bauswell. 

Bauswell, however, is counting on Indiegogo.com, the Internet and social media to help turn his prototype into a real, sellable product. Cost has been the primary hurdle, and every step of the process — from filing a patent to putting together press kits — requires more dollars. Indiegogo and its crowdfunding approach is an unusual but practical way to help build funds to produce the product, and he expects there to be genuine interest and active backers who will pledge to support his effort. There's also incentive -- everyone who pledges $10 or more will receive their own Cool Grip in the beginning of 2013. "Nearly everyone who has seen the product wants one," said Bauswell, "even a few people from the companies that have turned it down have asked if they could buy a prototype." 

With an eye on the economy and a desire to keep his product "made in the USA," Bauswell is making a concerted effort to produce it in the United States. Although it's significantly more expensive to manufacture here, he found Michigan-based All Star Plastics in Stevensville, a company that wants to partner with him.

"If we can get 8,000 pre-orders through Indiegogo, we can produce Cool Grip in Michigan and not only save jobs but create them," says Bauswell.

Bauswell believes his Indiegogo goal is entirely attainable.

"Everyone who has ever used a microwave has burned fingers, spilled a hot dish or cleaned up after a mess," he says. "This is a simple solution to a common problem, and I think we can meet the goal of 8,000 pre-orders through Indiegogo.com if we can just get the word out and tell people about the product."

The idea for Cool Grip came to Bauswell while he was watching -- and feeding -- his young nieces during their winter break from school. After burning his fingers repeatedly on hot bowls of microwaved Spaghetti-o's and cleaning out the inside of the microwave after soup boil overs, he knew there had to be a smarter, safer way to work with microwaved food.

Potential contributors and those who want to pre-order can visit www.indiegogo.com/CoolGrip and learn more about the product and the project.

More information about Cool Grip is also on the web at www.TheCoolGrip.com and at www.Facebook.com/CoolGrip  

Source: Cool Grip