Staples is looking for office product inventions

Have a client with an invention related to office products? Have them check out Staples Invention Quest™.

Staples Invention Quest™ is a contest that invites inventors to submit ideas for easy office products. Winners receive a cash prize and get the chance to have their ideas produced and sold in Staples® stores. What a great idea!
The prizes for Invention Quest™ are pretty amazing. Here are all the details.

Grand Prize (1):
$25,000, awarded in the form of a check and the opportunity to receive an exclusive global licensing agreement so long as there are no intellectual property rights or marketing issues with the invention (ARV $25,000). In the event that the Sponsor, in its sole discretion, determines that the Grand Prize invention idea is not one that Sponsor wishes to commercialize, then only the $25,000 cash prize will be awarded. You will also receive royalties in the event the Sponsor decides to develop and sell your invention as a Staples exclusive. In the event Staples develops your invention, the $25,000 will be deemed the advance of your royalties.

Runner-Up Prizes (9):
(for those Finalists that do not win the Grand Prize)
$5,000, awarded in the form of a check. You will also receive royalties in the event the Sponsor decides to develop and sell your invention as a Staples exclusive. In the event Staples develops your invention, the $5,000 will be deemed the advance of your royalties.

Finalist Prizes (10):
A 3-day/2-night trip for two to New York City, NY, on a Sponsor-specified date in September 2005, to attend the Finalist Judging Event. Trip includes round-trip coach air transportation from the major airport nearest to the winner’s residence, round trip transfers between airport and hotel, standard double-occupancy hotel accommodations (ARV $1,500 each).

Semi-Finalist Prizes (30):
A 3-day/2-night trip for one to Framingham, MA, on a Sponsor-specified date in July 2005, to attend the Semi-Finalist Judging Event. Trip includes round-trip coach air transportation from the major airport nearest to the winner’s residence, round trip transfers between airport and hotel, standard hotel accommodations (ARV $750 each) and a $100 Staples gift card. Gift card may be redeemed at any Staples® retail store location in the United States.

This language made me look twice: “so long as there are no intellectual property rights or marketing issues with the invention.” What does THAT mean???? Apparently, it means “entrants must ensure to the best of their knowledge that there are no significant intellectual property issues (for example, the invention idea is not patented by another) prior to submitting the invention idea (this will also be verified by Sponsor).”

So, inventors…have a patent search done and submit your idea to Staples.