Horizons Community Blog (Colville, WA)

“Your Big Idea” Kickoff Set for May 5 The Kick-off Conference for the 4th Annual “Your Big Idea” Contest will take place May 5th 2011 at the Institute for Extended Learning, 985 S. Elm St., Colville, from 4 pm to 6 pm. The event will include an overview of how the WSU Innovation Assessment Center will assist scholarship winners, and presentations on Intellectual Property and local micro-enterprise development. The scholarship cost per entry to the WSU IAC is $795.00 per idea. Most small business counselors estimate that the IAC does thousands of dollars worth of work to help prepare an inventor’s idea for its best chances in the market. Up to three scholarships could be awarded this year. Colville Horizons will fund one for a Colville resident and Valley Horizons for a Valley resident. A third will be available for a winner outside of the Colville and Valley areas. Entrepreneurs and inventors benefit from the WSU IAC report on winning product ideas which includes in depth market analysis, a feasibility analysis and a patent search to determine competition. One past contest winner already has taken his product into local production and has made some sales. Another winner, as well, is very close to getting his product into production. The Colville Horizons goal is to help local entrepreneurs start production of local products and possibly create local jobs.