History
In February of 2002, Inventables was founded to help companies innovate. We set out to share our excitement for what technology makes possible with the world's innovators.
Inventables began by interviewing 50 product developers with the intention of helping these people and their companies understand and then incorporate innovative materials and technologies into their creative process.
The goal of Inventables is to bring innovation and inspiring ideas to every designer and engineer. We are driven by a perpetual curiosity about human psychology and the design process and by a desire to celebrate human achievement.
Our intention was, and remains, to empower product developers with knowledge of what is new and now possible. Our Technology Hunters find this information by sharing knowledge with designers, scouring trade shows, reading trade journals and magazines, researching foreign markets, and talking with our network of "informants."
The items we select come from five categories: materials, mechanisms, electronics, processes, and "wow" products. Included items must demonstrate something new, solve a problem in an unconventional way, or be found only in a niche market while remaining largely unknown elsewhere.
Now, a few years have passed since the beginning of Inventables. Thousands of designers in companies such as Proctor & Gamble, Motorola, and Black & Decker--in industries that include furniture, automotive, toys, sporting goods, and consumer electronics--are being inspired by Inventables. The first products directly influenced by Inventables are emerging on store shelves. The Innovation Center as a resource is quickly becoming an integral part of the creative process. One company is even using the Inventables samples in employee interviews to help evaluate candidates' creative abilities.
We continue to receive positive feedback and ideas for improvement from all of our customers. The suggestions have helped fine tune the value Inventables provides. Our education, like that of our customers, is an exciting and never-ending process.
Developing every issue of Inventables continues to be a lot of fun, a lot of hours, and a total adventure. We are excited for the future and hope that you can join us as we inspire and educate the world's innovators.