Great email in the inbox today from a guy “looking for investor.” We get a lot of these types of emails, but usually there is at least some passing attempt at focus on a single idea. Not this guy, though, he’s working 16 hour days on a storm sewer filter, new solar products and a “built-in ramp for wheelchairs” that he says is “literally” a reinvention of the wheel. Plus a “few other items.”
He’s a typical genius entrepreneur type, meaning he’s innocently trying to fix everything broken around him, and smart enough to sort of do it. If he’s at all for real, what he needs is some solid drugs to control his ADHD and a business partner with loads of common sense, good people skills and an IQ in the 100 range. Is that you? Let us know and we’ll introduce you. Goal is to focus on the best idea, raise some money and buy an island within 18 months.
The email is below:
Hello,
My name is [removed]. I have patented a few products that have some good traction and greater promise, and am seeking investor.
We have developed a storm sewer filter that is being considered by several major cities including Santa Cruz Ca, Simi Valley Ca, Madison Wi and others. Simi Valley wants to purchase, but like me, they are looking for money, which they hope to have in the next few months from federal grants. We are also working with WI Department of Natural Resources to establish standards for statewide deployment of our filter. Hopefully, we will also be in distribution with New Pig in the next week or two, as they are calling us, rather than us calling them.
Also have some patents on some solar products that distributors are very interested in and are awaiting prototypes for evalutation, so that they may distribute. One solar product cuts installation time and the other cools overheating panels, which can increase productivity by 50%. As of now, I am forced to manufacture all prototypes in my garage, which is very time consuming as it is expensive to outsource. This cuts into sales time and development time.
Lastly, I have literally reinvented the wheel. I have a patent on a built-in ramp for wheelchairs, dollies or any other vehicle that needs to get over an obstacle. Remarkably simple and cheap and works like a charm. It is simply a ramp (looks much like a fender) that is attached to an arm that sits on the axle and rotates into place and you roll over it. Walter Reid medical directed me to their wheelchair vendor and they are awaiting a prototype as well.
There are a few other items that I have in mind. My background was as a QRA engineer responsible for process optimization within the semiconductor manufacturing arena. It was only six months ago that I realized that the knack I had for modifying equipment and procedures could have a far greater reach than a solitary wafer fab.
Anyway, I am looking for investors, as this is getting expensive. I am working no less than 16 hours a day right now and have worked as long as 49 hours straight on these projects. I am committed to winning, but know that I could move further and faster with some funding, as my partner and I are undertaking every aspect of the operation.
Let me know if interested.
wtf?
Hahaha, cool to read a lighthearted post like this once in a while.
nothing happening at twitter today?
Yeah, remember when Yahoo was going to fail any day now?
They still may. Was riding the bus with a group from Yahoo last week who just got told they were out of work – that’s another 5% gone.
Got to admire this guys drive, if he’s for real then I wish him the best of luck.
I had to look up what Adderall is: http://en.wikip...g/wiki/Adderall
it was the cause of web 2.0
You didn’t know what adderall was? Did you go to college? Or have friends?
…or suffer from ADHD like me? (which in my case stands for Arrogant Dick Head Disorder)
Prior Investment Portfolio
-Seesmic
-Dancejam
-omnidrive
-dogster
-ouch
There’s nothing wrong with not knowing what Adderall is. Unless, you are blessed / cursed with ADHD, you will probably have never heard of it. Quite simply, it is the wonder drug that works wonders.
Thx for the link. Had to look it up too. Maybe something to do with not working / going to college in the US?
Indeed. Mike from the comment above thought he was being clever.
Yeah good on ya Mike! Youre a real genius and comedy master.
…. more cognitive than any readers comments will be …. ftw!
I have a feeling that this guy is smarter than Arrington
As long as we’re not denying the holocaust everything’s alright.
why are you mocking someone who’s obviously able to think out more significant ideas than running a blog?
last time i checked edison had 1000+ patents.
think of it this way. if you sent this email would you rather have this post or just have it deleted like the 30 like it we get each day? I took his name out, and if anyone asks for an intro I’ll make it.
There are subtleties in life that seem to be passing you by.
I also think it’s fascinating to share stuff like this. A lot of invetors/entrepreneurs are like this. Their mind works so fast that they have tons of projects going all at once. That’s fun, but it isn’t a path towards financial success, which is what he’s aiming for.
yes, but the ADD/AD/HD hint is still disrespectful and if at all, is just a means to an end.
umm.. i heard on the internet suggesting that people are sick or mocking people’s mental illnesses/deficiencies was a-ok, and the more people that see it the better. really, its the civilized thing to do. “haha look at this ‘tard i found.”
christ. get a grip.
I don’t think there was any mocking involved rather then genuinely trying to throw a favor and presenting it lightheartedly. It would have been a completely different story if the guys name was included in the post. Besides, I wouldn’t want to see the jealous comments if this outreach wasn’t wrapped in some lighthearted sarcasm.
Mike, I hope you keep it up and throw someone a line every so often – those kind of actions tell me that you’re very close to ‘growing up’ (RE “…I want to be just like him [Ron Conway] when I grow up…”
Get they guy working on the crunchpad. Maybe then it will have useful features.
Hi Mike,
I’m game. Please make intro.
Thx,
Keith
In case you don’t see my reply below…
Please put me in touch as well. Thanks!
A small note to the other 29 whose emails are deleted – take time to see sites like worldchanging.com and pick up those ideas that are not implemented.
If you think your idea is awesome, chances are someone is already making money off it in some corner of the world or maybe all over the world.
That does _not_ make you any less of an inventor, but as far as glory and fame go, there is place for only a few at the top, often only o-n-e, as in _1_.
Take heart in the fact that Nikola Tesla is the inventor of practically everything that is used to make the gadgets you use today and you hear much less about him than any other scientist or innovator. He is called “the man who built the twentieth century”. And they still have not figured out how to make safe wireless power. He used to demonstrate wireless power in so many of his public meetings that most pictures you see of him have a streak of lightning running here and there.
What do you hear of Tesla when you talk of satellites and wireless mobile chargers and taser?
Absence of fame does *not* remove your inventor-ness.
Fame is not dependent on talent or gift ot even hard work. Fame, being volatile and imaginary in nature, is governed by the equally unpredictable luck.
By definition
OTOH, there are problems screaming out to be solved and you 29 people are not solving those because you all want to sit on the seat at the top.
Pigeonhole principle.
It just ain’t gonna happen. Instead if you actually focus on the less “attractive” but more useful ideas or on those that are in your capacity in the near future (where you don’t need a great stroke of luck or a specific critical market condition to succeed), pursue those.
There is real value in being of use to people in trouble or in need of help, whether poor or normal.
The rich typically want vanity, art and profits, neither material help nor innovation
If you’re innovating only for money, well, your priorities are misplaced.
A mind that cannot free itself of a constraint so common, clearly cannot reinvent industry which is full of constraints which have caused the problem in the first place. Dis-assuming is central and nearly impossible for minds obsessed with the most primitive of forms of mental bondage – greed and temptation.
Steve Jobs’ phrase “beginner’s mind” comes to mind and he was thrown out, “rejected” and alone, so to speak.
How i wish there were a huge “World Problem List” or a “Global Issue Tracker”.
Next great Web2.0 portal anyone?
If you concentrate on fixing the problems, the solutions will busy themselves fixing your finances. The “Zen of innovation”. ( lol
)
But really, worth a thought or two.
awesome post
Why the need to insult the commenter by suggesting that there are subtleties that are passing him by? I thought he had an interesting question.
because the subtleties were passing him by. not an insult, a statement of fact.
Might be a language issue – those subtleties might have passed me by before I moved to North America as well.
You’re a manic-depressive head case.
Again, just a statement of fact.
I see your point, but it seemed like you explained your point pretty calmly with the “think of it this way…” and then threw a little jab with that little extraneous sentence that implied a habit of things passing the commenter by. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I wish there wasn’t so much arguing going on in these here forums. Sometimes when you get down in the dirt and argue with folks like that you come out looking worse than you would if you’d ignored those comments (even though you likely respond to more comments personally than most writers).
Anyway, I thought I’d take this chance to suggest some sort of crowd-sourced moderation of comments? Something like slashdot/reddit/HN, where your readers can filter up the more useful comments. I think it would save you a bunch of heartache and it would make for a bit of an easier read. Even if there was a simple “upvote” button, users could filter out anything lower than +5, for example. If this is WP I’m pretty sure folks have made plug-ins that take care of this pretty easily.
hopefully he doesn’t get partners with
MPDD: Make a Point Deficit Disorder
or
GPDD: Get the Point Deficit Disorder
You find them at every workplace and all over meetings.
http://themeetingnazi.com
“That’s fun, but it isn’t a path towards financial success, which is what he’s aiming for.”
To sum up the opposite approach which should lead to riches, focus on one thing and sell the hell out of it? What’s the 140 char explanation?
I’ll second that. As something of a newbie entrepreneur, I have dozens of ideas going around in my head all the time. Most of them are shit, some really lame, and a few that might work. But the point is, its not really unusual to find people working on several projects at once.
@Michael Arrington
How would one go about getting in touch with you? I wanted some input from you about our site.
Of course when you have time. No demand here. I have followed you on twitter, submitted the website on Techcrunch. Not sure what route I need to take.
“Cheers”
JP
u probably need to write a clever email like that guy. He has 10 things he is working on. You must write a 100 things you are working on. Everyday you invent something etc…
Hope that helps
http://themeetingnazi.com
Funny things is, I would not know the first place to send it. I thought I had followed the proper channels.
I don’t mind if the site is not liked, I would just like a confirmation that my email or the site I submitted was received.
At least I would know if they looked at the site or email, even if they offered no input or did not submit my site.
“Cheers”
JP
i think I wrote that e-mail…
Common sense yes, people skills… maybe (but then my wife says I am a klingon), intellect over 100… hmmmm – I guess I don’t qualify.
bummer
He sounds a lot like me. I was on Ritalin for a short time, but I ran out and have no insurrance so no more meds for me. “will code for insurrance”
Seriously, Ritalin is $5 from Wal-Mart.
OK, so the guy has a few irons in the fire and he’s putting out feelers to make contacts. What’s the big deal? I think the ADHD connection is way overplayed.
I don’t.
Arrington, this is what makes you so special.
Don’t worry… the posters with ADHD will forget about it in 5 minutes anyway.
LOL! That’s hilarious RD!
i like how this is the last thing he cares to mention “Lastly, I have literally reinvented the wheel.”
yeah, the order of priorities is definitely funny.
P.S. I’ve also cured the common cold, if that’s something that might help me secure funding?
I am in.
No… but someone will by it, and shelve it, so they can continue to make millions year after year on treating the symptoms.
ive figured a way for ad-funded streaming to be profitable….
ive figured a way for ad-funded streaming to be profitable….
I’ve invented a way to make repeat posts profitable. SJ, please contact me at once.
this has got to be a creative writing assignment submitted by a bored college student…
“an IQ in the 100 range”
Bummer, Arrington is out…
Maybe he could help finish the CruchPad.
Just when you think you work hard and your mind races way too much on multiple ideas, you realize someone out there is working harder than you and is also just as crazy.
Whats wrong with people these days.. calm the f*** down… the Adderall part (interpreted by normal people) is a joke. RELAX and stop crying all the time…
He just needs a good secretary. Drugs will impair his genius!
what do you do with the other emails. you might as well create a emailcrunch (email crush seems better) and post it there.
why all the moaning about the ADHD comment?
seriously folks we all know a LOT of entrepreneurs are a bit ADD and that’s fine… it’s good to find a niche where, if you build the right structure around you, you can excel regardless
but let’s not get too precious here, there are real disabilities in the world and real discrimination against those disabilities… that’s worth getting riled about – this stuff….? as someone who’s totally ADD – all over the place – i don’t see what there was to get particularly offended about in Arrington’s comments here…
(and come on folks – the guy brought us the Star Trek premiere so cut some slack)
…anyway you’ll forget about it in five minutes and be off to the next protest right
Great post.
Why aren’t there incubators for these type of individuals? I know EIR could sort of qualify but those positions are based so much on networking they are likely unrealistic for the average entrepreneur.
Whatchuthink michael?
@Mike: do you take Methylphenidate-HCL or one of its derivates?
why, you dealing?
Simply out of curiousity. You should put up a poll on TC to determine how many people in the IT sector use it. That’d be an interesting statistic.
I’ve diskuverd that erformancing enhancingment substanzes like adderall, concerta, ritalin, cialis, and carrot juice makes me like, super productiv and creatively generatingness of new conceptz.
it’s the secret to all the winningness that i’m makings. And it helps me be influentialness as a Leader.
In all serious Florian – I think that is a great idea for a poll post on TechCrunch.
These derivitaves are used pervasively, especially in in the tech world.
Few want to admit it though (like moi) because in a way, taking “steroids for your frontal cortex” in some way invalidates anything you may have accomplished.
Maybe that’s my hang up, but I’m not proud that I use Concerta, off label, to “get more done”.
Ha – Mike you can’t win! By now I’m sure you’ve realized that someone is going to torch you for every post. I’d pay for your thick skin.
Anyhow, I think you did the guy a favor – someone may be interested in these ideas, and they wouldn’t have seen the light of day otherwise. If nothing else maybe an R&D firm will hire the guy and give him some direction.
To the gentleman who wrote the email – keep inventing! You need a partner with the business acumen, but you’ve clearly got the drive to knock on the doors and build the stuff. Kudos!
ideas + no business strategy/overexcitment = fail.
WTF, I guess Mike forgot to take his meds this morning.
Michael – you’re not qualified to diagnose ADHD. Just because you can point to a Wikipedia link….
Otherwise, I think this is an interesting and illuminating post.
I’m sure you and others will accuse me of lacking a sense of humor… whatever….
but over-diagnosis of ADHD is a huge problem in our country and leads to many thousands of kids being prescribed legal stimulants — the long-term effects of which are really not understood.
this type of glib pseudo-diagnosis just doesn’t help. I bet you wouldn’t do an armchair diagnosis of cancer. True ADHD can be disabling. You have no idea if this guy has ADHD and you simply can’t tell from an email.
yeah. subtleties. of course adhd is over diagnosed, and of course adderall is over prescribed. I assumed that was sort of common knowledge at this point. this me saying he needs adderall for appearing to be all over the place in an email. wasn’t being literal.
not. literal.
I swear some people just don’t get the joke sometimes – kind of like the numerous outraged emails the guy that runs T-shirtHell gets….
The entrepreneurs and inventors that don’t let this economy get them down are the ones with real heart. I hope this guy makes it and makes it big. It’s easy to be in the game in 1998 but it takes a different person to stick with it in 2002.
Good for him and best of luck
I call bullshit.
If you have a patent, you don’t need to worry about being secretive, or require anyone signing an NDA, since a patent is the opposite of a trade secret.
Maybe it’s only patent pending. Still, you don’t want to advertise to your competitors. You have to pay to protect your patent anyway.
NDAs commonplace in all specific business discussions. Patent doesn’t factor in whatsoever.
Please punch self in thorax.
I am a 19 year old entrepreneur in the Atlanta area.
I have an IQ exceeding 140. Don’t shoot, I’m just saying. IQ tests are usually just measure one half of the brain’s overall potential, the left hemisphere/the analytical side.
I never stop innovating, researching and testing.
I have 12 notebooks full of detailed blueprints for technology, entertainment and philanthropy ventures. I just need help bringing them to life.
I work for a hotel software company right now that is about to break $100,000 in it’s first 8 months. Not bad for 2 college kids without a clue.
I know I was born to be great. We all were, few carry through.
I am looking for a mentor to help me bring my visions to life. Let me know, if you want to help me.
I can show you how to use the force, for I was once a padawan, just like you. Are you sure you can handle my teachings, young grasshopper?
I will try Tech Master.
facebook.com/lionkong
Add me and we can begin. hahaha
I think this guy is pretty legit. But like you said, he needs to partner up with someone who can cut through his ramblings to help him sell the idea.
This guy will likely be much more successful than the vast majority of those reading this post, especially those immature enough to mock ADHD
He’s almost certainly more intelligent than most in any event
I agree, 100%.
Please put me in touch as well. david dot g dot maurice at gmail dot com.
I think these kind of people are awesome. If I had the funds I wouldn’t mind coming on board for the adventure of bringing social skills and sales to the table.
Good Luck!
SInce when the f**k did ADD become a problem?
Its only in America that kids are “diagnosed” with ADD. Here, in India, or much of Asia, its actually considered a good thing to have an active kid.
If the entire American population got run over by an overnight epidemic of ADD, at least you guys might get over your obesity problem.
Come on man…ADD a problem in a country with 50% obese? I think you should consider it a blessing…
ADD doesn’t imply physically “active” and ADD doesn’t keep people from being obese.
@puranjay I live in India too… None of what you said is true… It’s almost racial… if not partial… your sense of reality sucks!
Gah!
This guy (name is [removed]) is kind’a funny and doing well – even if it’s a fake. At least he got mentioned at TC and earned a lot of buzz.
How easy life could be…
Arrington you’re as tough as they come aren’t ya? So the entrepreneurial emails all get deleted unless they have some humour (sic) value.
Keep on laughing at the little guys. You were little once, and if you keep on the way you’re going you will be again.
@Arrington: reminds me of this lawyer that lives in atherton who is also an editor of a blog and likes to talk about technology, and likes to rant on about new markets… yeah ADHD
Michael Arrington, nice of you posting that email but your drugs comment was not nice at all.
i’m below the IQ of 100… guess i’m out.
This post and the comments on it convince me we are doomed as a society. No way we should be wasting time on this subject.
But good luck to inventor man. Some advice: don’t hang out with us!
Needs some more focus but can’t blame him for being ambitious.
Interesting article. He should check-out Andrew and Stephen at Invent Right and also TechShop for like-minded people and develop contacts.
If the guy is for real, reading that post must have made his day/week/month/year. i dont know if you have dragons den in america, but that post will give the guy potential access to potential investors on a scale an order of magnitude greater than the panel of 5 people on that program.
As someone who is starting my own business, (which i will promote the hell out of in a month or two dont worry!) i wasted a good 6 years thinking about and semi starting projects and then getting distracted by a different idea. All i will say is focus on the most commercially viable one, that you can make succeed now, then once you have that sucess you wont need to look for investors, because you will be able to self finance or at the very least, the investors will come to you.
hahaha …funny even if fake .
Not a bad way to get some attention from a leading tech blog and its readers.
Why didn’t I think of it?
Great post. Maybe on the next one you can slam bipolar people or schizophrenics. Better yet how about parkinsons sufferers. LOL.
This is by far the best post on TechCrunch this year. I hope you keep throwing us this kind of stuff every now and then
I have visited one useful website for selling. Hope this would help. Sell it with mrkt.it
@Arrington So you like to be spammed.
Let’s all send emails …