Oak Ridge and Knoxville, TN

Tennessee Inventors Association

The Tennessee Inventors Association is an organization in East Tennessee dedicated to promoting independent inventors. Members are from Knoxville and Oak Ridge and some come from Chattanooga, Cleveland, Bristol, Johnson City, Morristown, and other East Tennessee areas. The TIA also has members from as far away as Ohio and Virginia. The Tennessee Inventors Association is a great resource for inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs.

The TIA meets monthly on the third Saturday at 10 am in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Visit the TIA Calendar page. A map to the meeting hall is here. Visitors are always welcome!

Upcoming meeting

The next TIA meeting is May 19, 2012. Read the newsletter for last month's meeting.

The agenda of the May 19 meeting of the TIA includes our featured speaker, Mike Thompson, a teacher, inventor, and author, and further discussion of the Tennessee Inventor Expo (TIE). The TIE committee has mapped out the TIE program, identified vendors and partners, and assigned responsibilities to several volunteers.

Everyone is reminded that annual dues are now payable. Those who have not yet paid are asked to bring a check to the meeting.

Tenn Inventors Assoc TIA meeting at Tech 2020

The primary goal of the TIA is the advancement of technology throughout Tennessee with its accompanying economic growth. Toward this end, TIA provides information, guidance, and encouragement to those involved in innovation. It is a chartered non-profit organization in the State of Tennessee composed of inventors and other persons interested in the innovation process.

The TIA membership includes independent inventors, small business developers, engineers, and scientists from state and federal research and educational facilities. The span of technical expertise and inventions ranges from high-tech to low-tech, from lasers to games to cat toys. Other TIA members are from business-related fields and are available as consultants to the other members. For example, we have patent agents and patent attorneys as members, and we frequently have business attorneys and lawyers, model makers, graphic artists, modelers, designers, and others as visitors. Even if you do not have an invention, you are welcome to join the TIA!

News Ticker . . .

03-28-12 Carl Papa, Joe Martin, and Tom Kulaga met with Kim Bumpas of the Knoxville Tourism & Sports Corporation (KTSC) to discuss the upcoming Tennessee Inventor Expo (TIE). The KTSC is a valuable resource for those planning an event in Knoxville.

02-06-12 Entrepreneurs of Knoxville is conducting a 1st Quarter Workshop on February 14 in Knoxville. The Workshop is a full day workshop with high caliber speakers and educational sessions.

01-24-12 The Knoxville News-Sentinel reported on Teknovation, a new website targeting innovators and entrepreneurs.

10-12-11 Catherine Moirai of the Knox County Library and a featured speaker of this summer sent us information on AngelList, a community site for startup companies to connect with angel investors.

09-21-11 Entrepreneurial Imperative 2011 is scheduled for November 16th & 17th, 2011, at Crowne Plaza Knoxville. Tickets are $119 for the 2 day event for entreprenours.

09-17-11 The Knoxville News-Sentinel ran an article about the Patent Reform Act signed on Friday. TIA President Tom Kulaga was interviewed for the article.

09-09-11 The Patent Reform Bill, called America Invents Act but should be called the MegaCorporation Welfare Act, has been approved by Congress. The patent reform bill awaits President Obama's signature before becoming law. First-to-file is now the law.

09-02-11 Mission ImpossiBALL is a charity drive that seeks to hit one million golf balls in 72 hours. The $10 entry fee benefits the American Cancer Society. Pin High Pro is teaming with ESPN Radio Knoxville and Fairways and Greens Golf Center to present the Pin High Pro 2011 Million Ball Challenge from midnight on Friday, September 2, to September 4, 2011.

Blogs

09-21-11 A first look at the Patent Reform Act or the America Invents Act
07-17-11 2011 Patent Reform: Can Senate reconcile House version?
12-16-10 Invention promotion companies - scam or legit?
07-06-10 A Business Plan for the Inventor
05-03-10 Community & Patriot Express Workshop on May 18