This morning I wrote a letter to a few inventors.
Backstory:
(what they invented) https://patents.google.com/patent/US10301073B1/
(2nd sentence reference) http://www.zipintothefuture.com/its-not-a-pipeline-problem/
Links in Email:
innocentive.com/ar/challenge/9933788
https://www.sbir.gov/sbirsearch/detail/890409
Text of Email Below:
Hello All,
My name is Tesia and I am the inventor of a unique closure system. I contacted Gregory [redacted] several years ago and now am in “Caution Mode” with NatickSRDEC, now CCDC Soldier. I have no idea why that is.
I am inquiring about funding to support development of a closure that is likely for your recent invention.
Numerous contractors of the Army have been emailing me about obtaining samples of various closures that I’ve invented. I have been working to obtain funding for the further development and manufacturing of that closure since early 2016 and I won’t be able to provide durable samples of that closure until I receive funding to further manufacture and develop it on par with a Phase II SBIR.
CCDC is currently funding nanoGriptech and so I am directing and steering all of the contractor inquiries to nanoGriptech, “Please review the closure solution of nanoGriptech [inserted link to their website.]”
However, these contractors email me back saying, “We need a zipper” or putting a different person from their company to the task of asking me for closure samples expecting a different response.
The spec of the closure that the contractors need mirror that of your patent and various Army and interagency contests such as this recent contest by CTTSO: https://www.innocentive.com/ar/challenge/9933788
Again, CCDC is currently funding nanoGriptech which produces a unique closure solution for a superior hook and loop structure.
Yet, contractors are still inquiring about the closure that my company has developed.
Beyond asking industry (YKK, IDEAL Fastener, etc) to give the best zipper they have and doing your own research in house, you are only funding one startup – nanoGriptech – in providing unique closure solutions and, in doing so, are suggesting that a superior hook and loop closure by nanoGriptech can best the YKK BDM zippers that went to the Moon as far as fulfilling your closure specs. Oh, and industry has contacted me asking for samples as well.
I have attached my company’s debrief from A16-062 and the debrief from A19-037.
Now, as can be ascertained from the differences in the debrief, numerous entities from within the DoD and that work for the DoD understand the technology; however, no one is providing funding to get samples of this technology.
And a production run will not be sufficient. You are not just offering nanoGriptech a production run for that reason.
Furthermore, the A19-037 debrief claims that what I did with the Air Force in simply obtaining a signed MOU with a DoD stakeholder is essentially equivalent to being able to further manufacture and develop the closure [reason for non-select.]
Yet, nanoGriptech has been funded for the same research for 10 years now: https://www.sbir.gov/sbirsearch/detail/890409.
I have FOIA’d their proposals and they too simply have asked for support in manufacturing their closure solution, time and time again.
Their invention may be the reason your patent likely suggests nanoGriptech’s closure as only a ‘variant’ and for use on the fold over regions. Despite it’s over $3 Million in historical Army funding, it’s likely only a ‘variant’ because it may be made of polymer and decontaminable and able to attach via a method that is not sewing but it is still weak, hard to align, and not durable enough to support structural load thus requires supporting straps and a flap of extra fabric adding to costs.
I would just like to ask what the hindrance is to adequately funding another startup’s closure, the closure your contractors and current industry suppliers ask for, the closure that can do this in its prototype form: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LlU7AUvO-c&feature=youtu.be
Couldn’t you have just asked for a sample of their past funded closure in a production run for that use case?
They only make one closure with numerous tweaks.
Best Regards,My email from this morning as shown in the image above.
Tesia Thomas
Zipr Shift
