WSJ: Slim Odds for Inventors

The Wall Street Journal noted:

The path to prosperity can be long and arduous for inventors. Even if they manage to secure a patent, which can take years, they usually need to find a business willing to manufacture, package and market the item.

In an effort to better connect with inventors, some large manufacturers including Clorox Co. (NYSE: CLX - News), Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE: KFT - News), General Mills Inc. (NYSE: GIS - News), Staples Inc. (Nasdaq: SPLS - News), Procter & Gamble Co. (NYSE: PG - News) and GlaxoSmithKline PLC (NYSE: GSK - News) have launched websites in recent years for soliciting product ideas. Some of the sites occasionally feature specific requests from the companies' research-and-development teams.