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.