Key Takeaways

• Prepare a one-page sell sheet covering the problem, solution, and key benefits.
• File a provisional patent application to secure a filing date before sharing widely.
• Choose a path based on whether you need licensing, manufacturing, or retail placement.
• For mass-market concepts, submit directly to full-service DRTV partners like InvenTel.

Quick Answer: How Do You Submit an Invention Idea?

The best way to submit an invention idea is to organize and protect your concept first, then choose the right submission path for your goals.

Start by preparing a simple sell sheet that outlines your product’s core problem and solution. Next, decide what type of support you need, such as licensing, prototype development, manufacturing, or retail support.

If you have a product concept with broad consumer appeal, companies like InvenTel review outside submissions. Inventors can submit product ideas directly through InvenTel’s Submit an Idea page for concepts that fit the DRTV and As Seen on TV model.

What to Prepare Before Submitting Your Invention Idea

Taking a few key steps before submitting your idea helps protect your rights and increases your chances of getting reviewed by product managers.

Write a Simple One-Page Sell Sheet

A sell sheet is a quick, one-page document that explains your product concept clearly. It helps companies evaluate your idea in under a minute. Your sell sheet should include:

• What the product is: A clear description of your invention.
• What problem it solves: The specific daily hassle or inconvenience it fixes.
• Who it is for: Your target customer base.
• Why it is different: Key features that make it stand out from existing alternatives on the market.
• Key benefits: How it makes life easier, safer, or more convenient.
• Visuals: Product photos, simple sketches, or prototype images.
• Proof of demand: Any initial market testing, consumer interest, or sales data you have gathered.

Protect Your Idea Before Sharing It Widely

Consider how you will protect your intellectual property (IP) before sharing your idea widely or submitting it to multiple companies.

One common option for independent inventors is a provisional patent application. According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), a provisional patent application establishes an official U.S. filing date for your invention.

It provides a 12-month period to refine your product, test the market, or pitch to companies. If you do not file a formal nonprovisional patent application within those 12 months, the provisional application is automatically abandoned.

Note: This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute formal legal advice. Consult a qualified patent attorney before making IP protection decisions.

Know What Kind of Help You Need

Product development companies offer different levels of support depending on where you are in the inventor journey. Identifying your specific needs helps you target companies equipped to help you succeed.

Consider which of these steps you need assistance with:

• Licensing: Partnering with a company that handles production and pays you royalties.
• Prototyping: Creating 3D models or working samples to test functionality.
• Product Development: Refining design, engineering, and materials for mass production.
• Manufacturing: Sourcing factory partners and overseeing assembly.
• Packaging: Designing retail-ready packaging that catches consumer attention.
• Commercial Production: Scaling up production to meet high-volume retail orders.
• Media Buying: Running television, digital, or social media ad campaigns to drive sales.
• Retail Placement: Getting your finished product into major physical and online stores.
• Fulfillment: Managing inventory storage, order processing, and shipping logistics.

The Main Ways to Submit an Invention Idea

Once your concept is organized and protected, you need to select the right submission path. Different submission channels offer unique advantages depending on your overall business strategy.

Submit Directly to Corporate Innovation Programs

Some major brands actively look for outside ideas through open innovation initiatives.

Programs built around open innovation allow companies to evaluate submissions directly from independent inventors, patent holders, and outside research teams that address specific product challenges.

Best for:

• Product improvements on existing brands
• Patented or patent-pending ideas
• Technologies that match a major company’s active public challenges
• Inventors looking strictly for a licensing or partnership agreement

Use Inventor Submission Platforms

Dedicated innovation hubs and government small business programs offer resources and pathways for inventors to connect with commercial markets.

For example, government resources like the USPTO Startup Resources and America’s Seed Fund provide open innovation opportunities and commercialization pathways for early-stage innovators.

Best for:

• Inventors looking for broader industry exposure and guidance
• Early-stage product owners searching for non-dilutive funding or commercial partners
• Innovators comparing multiple submission and development opportunities simultaneously

Work With Product Development or Licensing Agencies

If you prefer personalized guidance, full-service product development or licensing agencies can help evaluate, refine, patent, pitch, or license an idea. Because services and fees vary wildly, always verify an agency’s track record and industry reputation before signing an agreement.

Best for:

• Inventors who need hands-on assistance preparing their initial concept
• Innovators seeking step-by-step licensing negotiation support
• Product owners who do not want to manage manufacturing, legal work, or pitching alone

Attend Trade Shows and Industry Events

Trade shows provide a direct environment to present your product to manufacturers, retail buyers, distributors, and product scouts in person.

Best for:

• Finished prototypes that demonstrate their function immediately
• Retail-ready products looking for shelf placement
• Inventors who are comfortable pitching their ideas face-to-face
• Products that require specialized, industry-specific connections

Submit to a Full-Service DRTV Product Development Partner

For products with strong visual demonstration value and broad mass-market appeal, working with an end-to-end partner is often the fastest path to commercial scale. This is where InvenTel fits into the inventor landscape.

Rather than just reviewing an idea and passing it along, InvenTel operates a complete service ecosystem. InvenTel’s product services cover every stage of the commercialization pipeline, including:

• Direct Response Television (DRTV) & Media Buying: Crafting high-converting ad campaigns and purchasing targeted media space.
• Commercial Production: Producing professional short-form and long-form infomercials.
• Design & Packaging: Creating retail-ready graphics and structural packaging that command attention on store shelves.
• Sales & Retail Placement: Securing distribution across major physical retail chains and digital marketplaces.
• Distribution & Fulfillment: Managing large-scale inventory, warehouse storage, and customer shipping.

If your product solves a common problem and works well on camera, submitting directly to an integrated partner can provide a path from an initial concept to nationwideTV and retail placement under one roof.

When InvenTel May Be the Right Submission Path

While there are many ways to launch a product, choosing the right partner depends on what your invention actually needs.

InvenTel is best for products that are easy to demonstrate, simple to understand, and ready to scale through direct response marketing, retail stores, and mass-market distribution

Your Product Solves a Clear Everyday Problem

Successful direct response television (DRTV) products follow a simple problem-and-solution format that viewers grasp right away. If someone can see your product and instantly get how it makes their day easier, it is likely a great fit.

Common categories include:

• Household solutions: Quick fixes for daily chores.
• Cleaning tools: Items that save time or effort around the house.
• Kitchen convenience: Gadgets that make cooking or meal prep faster.
• Personal comfort, fitness, or wellness: Products that help people feel better.
• Pet care: Simple items that help pet owners.
• Smart gadgets: Everyday tools with clear, visual proof that they work.

Your Product Has a Strong Demonstration

Products that perform well on TV rely on visual impact. If your product has a clear “before-and-after” transformation or a quick “how it works” demo, it will naturally catch a viewer’s attention during a commercial or online video.

Seeing a product in action builds immediate buyer confidence. According to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) advertising guidance, demonstrations must show how a product performs under normal use, and objective performance claims must be supported by evidence.

Your Product Has Mass-Market Appeal

InvenTel does not just help build a product; it builds a complete path to market. The InvenTel model focuses on taking strong concepts from initial design all the way to TV screens, digital campaigns, and major store shelves across the country.

You Want One Team Instead of Separate Vendors

Managing a product launch on your own often means juggling separate companies for design, manufacturing, advertising, media buying, fulfillment, and retail sales.

That process can quickly become overwhelming and expensive. Working with a full-service partner gives you a single, connected team to handle every step under one roof.

How to Submit Your Idea to InvenTel

It’s a pretty straightforward process. To make your submission easier for InvenTel’s evaluation team to review, follow these simple steps:

Step 1: Prepare Your Product Summary

Before filling out any submission forms, organize your product details into a clear, easy-to-read summary. Gathering information beforehand ensures your pitch is complete.

Include the following key details:

• Product Name: A simple working title for your concept.
• Problem It Solves: The everyday hassle or inconvenience your product fixes.
• Main Benefit: The core advantage or time-saving feature for the user.
• Target Customer: Who is most likely to buy and use your product.
• Product Category: The primary industry (e.g., household, kitchen, fitness, pet care, or tools).
• Prototype Status: Whether you have a digital mockup, physical sample, or working prototype.
• Visuals: High-quality photos, sketches, or demonstration video clips.
• IP Status: Any patent or patent-pending information, if applicable.
• Testing or Sales Results: Any initial market feedback or early sales data, if available.

Step 2: Visit the Submit an Idea Page

Go directly to InvenTel’s Submit an Idea page to start the official submission process.

InvenTel uses this dedicated portal to collect basic contact details and initial product information. Their internal team reviews every submission for commercial potential and contacts the inventor directly if there is a potential fit for their DRTV and retail network.

Step 3: Keep Your Pitch Clear and Concise

Focus on your product’s strongest selling points rather than a long personal backstory. Product managers may review many submissions, so highlight what the product does, why it works, and how it stands out visually. Keep your language direct and simple.

Step 4: Be Ready for Follow-Up Questions

If InvenTel’s review team sees strong commercial potential in your concept, they will reach out for additional details.

Be prepared to discuss:

• Prototype status: Can the current sample be tested in person?
• Manufacturing cost: What is the estimated cost to produce a single unit?
• Target retail price: What do you expect consumers to pay in stores or online?
• Market demand: Who is the target audience, and how large is the potential market?
• Competitive products: What existing items compete with yours, and why is yours better?
• IP status: Do you have non-disclosure agreements, provisional patents, or utility patents?
• Product safety: Does the item require specialized safety testing or certifications?
• Packaging needs: What shelf or shipping packaging format works best?
• Demonstration potential: How easily can the product’s core benefit be shown on video?

Final Thoughts: Choose the Submission Path That Matches Your Goal

Inventors have several clear paths to get a new product to market, but picking the right option depends on your ultimate goal.

If you prefer to collect royalty payments while someone else manages production, pitching through a corporate innovation portal or an inventor licensing platform makes sense.

However, if you want hands-on support turning a mass-market product into a nationwide brand, spanning TV commercials, retail store placement, and e-commerce, working with a full-service DRTV partner like InvenTel is the better fit.

By organizing your sell sheet, securing basic IP protection, and picking a team aligned with your goals, you give your invention the best shot at commercial success.

FAQ Section

1. How do I submit my invention idea to a company?

To submit an invention idea, start by creating a simple one-page sell sheet that outlines the problem your product solves, key features, and target audience. Next, consider filing a provisional patent application to secure an official filing date.

Once your materials are ready, submit your concept directly through a company’s official online portal or “Submit an Idea” form.

2. Should I patent my invention before submitting it?

While you do not always need a full patent before submitting, securing basic protection is a smart move. Filing a provisional patent application with the USPTO gives you 12 months of “patent pending” status.

This allows you to pitch your concept to companies safely without risking your rights.

3. What should I include in an invention submission?

Your submission should stay brief and focus on the product’s strongest selling points. Include:

• Product name
• Core problem it solves
• Key benefits
• Target customer
• Prototype status
• Clear photos or video clips
• Any patent or sales information you currently have.

Avoid long personal backstories. Decision-makers want to see how the product works right away.

4. Can I submit an idea to InvenTel?

Yes, independent inventors can submit product concepts directly through InvenTel’s Submit an Idea page. InvenTel looks for inventions built for mass-market appeal that can be effectively demonstrated on television and scaled into retail stores nationwide.

5. What types of products are good for DRTV?

Products that perform well on Direct Response Television (DRTV) solve a common everyday problem and feature a strong visual demonstration.

Popular categories include household cleaning tools, kitchen convenience items, personal comfort or fitness products, pet care solutions, and unique gadgets with a clear “before-and-after” transformation.

6. What happens after I submit my idea?

After you submit your idea through an online portal, the evaluation team reviews your materials to see if the product fits their catalog and market network.

If there is potential interest, a representative reaches out to ask follow-up questions about manufacturing costs, prototype testing, safety compliance, and intellectual property.