Invention, Intellectual Property and Business Models

This summer, I plan to continue improving the prototype and to sell a few copies in the Seattle area, using one of the local maker spaces for construction. I will use free marketing platforms such as Craigslist and a website hosted on one of the free blog providers (probably Wordpress,) as well as community word-of-mouth. I will use the profits from the sale of one greenhouse to fund the building of the next one. I project the total cost of materials, assuming I use a commercial Arduino and sensor, at approximately $300. Judging by this list, the cheapest automated greenhouse costs $2000, installation not included. I plan to include installation into the total price tag of $800. If the initial phase goes well, I will file a provisional patent and copyright applications. I will also invest in some fixed infrastructure, including a workspace.