ChiTAG

Mary Couzin is the Founder of the Chicago Toy and Game Group, Toy&Game Innovation Conferences, TAGIE Awards, PlayCHIC, and the Young Inventor Challenge.

Mary grew up in Indiana, where she enjoyed playing with her Lite-Brite and baking in her Eazy-Bake Oven and still loves to bake today. She believes the toys and games we played as kids influence our lives later on.  Mary loved school, had a lot of friends, and genuinely enjoyed her time.  She considered herself “one of those really good kids”, was the class president of her high school for 2 years, Homecoming Queen, and maintained a high grade point average.

Mary chose to attend the University of Notre Dame because her father didn’t believe girls should be allowed there.  She earned her MBA from Loyola because she was living in Chicago at the time and they gave Mary credit for some classes she had taken from Notre Dame.  This allowed her to earn her masters’s degree a year sooner.

To listen to ChiTAG…the Invention Stories Podcast Episode 53…Mary Couzin Founder of the Chicago Toy and Game Group please click on the button on the top left.  Thank you and please tell a friend.

 

Chicago Toy & Game Group

The Chicago Toy & Game Group promotes play and innovation through events, monthly e-newsletters reaching over 245,000 people in the industry, inventors, consumers, educators, bloggers, scouts, traditional and social media.

 

ChiTAG (Chicago Toy And Game) Events:

Chicago Toy & Game Fair

 

Chicago Toy & Game Fair is the largest non-hobby public toy/game fair in North America. Meet and learn from your consumers! This is the biggest and most cost effective focus group anywhere. Traditional ,social media, and bloggers love this event!  They attend to report what’s hot for the holidays. Early open to media/trade. Emphasis on interactive/hands-on and meeting inventors at Navy Pier the weekend before Black Friday. www.chitag.com

The Inventor & Innovation Conferences with top industry executives. Learn, network, pitch your ideas to dozens of companies. www.chitag.com/conferences

The Toy & Game Innovation Awards Dinner, the TAGIEs, celebrating inventors www.chitag.com/tagies

PlayCHIC pairs haute couture fashion designers with game and toy brands to create media worthy playful runway looks. www.chitag.com/playchic

Educator Conference is for teachers to incorporate play in the classroom. www.g4ed.com

Star Wars Character Breakfast

Young Inventor Challenge www.chitag.com/yic

Young TECH Challenge www.chitag.com/ytc

ChiTAG year round activities include:

DiscoverToysandGames.com – World’s largest co-op of Independent Toy and Game Inventors.

Hosting Get-Togethers around the world.

Specialties: Connecting people, helping toy and game inventors, promoting inventors and play to the public anywhere and everywhere we can, bringing play and games into the classroom and libraries, quality fundraising (www.gamesforfundraising.com)

Work Experience

Chicago Toy and Game Group, Inc.

President & Founder

Jan 2002 – Present

The Chicago Toy & Game Group produces ChiTAG...

ChiTAG

Mary Couzin is the Founder of the Chicago Toy and Game Group, Toy&Game Innovation Conferences, TAGIE Awards, PlayCHIC, and the Young Inventor Challenge.

Mary grew up in Indiana, where she enjoyed playing with her Lite-Brite and baking in her Eazy-Bake Oven and still loves to bake today. She believes the toys and games we played as kids influence our lives later on.  Mary loved school, had a lot of friends, and genuinely enjoyed her time.  She considered herself “one of those really good kids”, was the class president of her high school for 2 years, Homecoming Queen, and maintained a high grade point average.

Mary chose to attend the University of Notre Dame because her father didn’t believe girls should be allowed there.  She earned her MBA from Loyola because she was living in Chicago at the time and they gave Mary credit for some classes she had taken from Notre Dame.  This allowed her to earn her masters’s degree a year sooner.

To listen to ChiTAG…the Invention Stories Podcast Episode 53…Mary Couzin Founder of the Chicago Toy and Game Group please click on the button on the top left.  Thank you and please tell a friend.

 

Chicago Toy & Game Group

The Chicago Toy & Game Group promotes play and innovation through events, monthly e-newsletters reaching over 245,000 people in the industry, inventors, consumers, educators, bloggers, scouts, traditional and social media.

 

ChiTAG (Chicago Toy And Game) Events:

Chicago Toy & Game Fair

 

Chicago Toy & Game Fair is the largest non-hobby public toy/game fair in North America. Meet and learn from your consumers! This is the biggest and most cost effective focus group anywhere. Traditional ,social media, and bloggers love this event!  They attend to report what’s hot for the holidays. Early open to media/trade. Emphasis on interactive/hands-on and meeting inventors at Navy Pier the weekend before Black Friday. www.chitag.com

The Inventor & Innovation Conferences with top industry executives. Learn, network, pitch your ideas to dozens of companies. www.chitag.com/conferences

The Toy & Game Innovation Awards Dinner, the TAGIEs, celebrating inventors www.chitag.com/tagies

PlayCHIC pairs haute couture fashion designers with game and toy brands to create media worthy playful runway looks. www.chitag.com/playchic

Educator Conference is for teachers to incorporate play in the classroom. www.g4ed.com

Star Wars Character Breakfast

Young Inventor Challenge www.chitag.com/yic

Young TECH Challenge www.chitag.com/ytc

ChiTAG year round activities include:

DiscoverToysandGames.com – World’s largest co-op of Independent Toy and Game Inventors.

Hosting Get-Togethers around the world.

Specialties: Connecting people, helping toy and game inventors, promoting inventors and play to the public anywhere and everywhere we can, bringing play and games into the classroom and libraries, quality fundraising (www.gamesforfundraising.com)

Work Experience

Chicago Toy and Game Group, Inc.

President & Founder

Jan 2002 – Present

The Chicago Toy & Game Group produces ChiTAG...

Tariq Najee-ullah, the Patent Insider

The goal of the Invention Stories Podcast is to share interviews that when listened to and when the advice that is shared is followed…result in Helping People Invent Smarter.  During the last 51 interviews, we’ve share interviews from successful inventors from all over the world, an infomercial host, CEO’s, Time’s 2017 Inventions of the Year Winners…the list goes on and on.  Today, we share what could be our most useful interview to date…what happens after your patent application is sent to the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office)…and more…

Our guest this week on the Invention Stories Podcast Episode 52 is Tariq Najee-ullah, the Patent Insider

Tariq Najee-ullah, the Patent Insider

Tariq utilizes his 10 year USPTO patent examiner insider experience to efficiently navigate the patent prosecution process.  In addition, he helps tech startups get quality patents more effectively.

Tariq’s services include:  patent searching, patent prosecution, and intellectual property law.

Founders Legal

Founders Legal is based at Atlanta Tech Village.  Tariq’s team at Founders Legal understands the business of tech entrepreneurship. They use internal proprietary software solutions to improve efficiency, resulting in reduces overhead, and generate a cost savings for their clients. Founders Legal boutique firm uses a flat rate value based pricing system for most of their Intellectual Property engagements to help you accurately set your IP budget for your patent portfolio while delivering a premium quality work product.

Tariq invites you to email him…[email protected]

To schedule a free 15-min consultation (calendly.com/patentinsider)

www.founderslegal.com

phone:  (404) 537-3664 Direct or (404) 537-3686 Ext 810 Office

Gibraltar Consulting LLC

Gibraltar Consulting LLC offers a number of professional services in the following areas.

Patent Practitioner Services

Gibraltar Consulting LLC supports IP law firms with patent searches, patent prosecution, and patent drafting services as an exclusive or limited engagement contractor. Tariq’s team of former patent examiners conduct professional patent searches for clients seeking Freedom to Operate and Patentability reports.

IT Recruiting Services I help Government contractors fill highly skilled IT positions, especially those requiring security clearance.

Mobile Apps Digital Marketing

Tariq helps Fortune 500 businesses market goods, products, and services to the millennial market using mobile apps (games and custom emojis). They help clients reach custom audiences in underrepresented niches.

Interfaith Consultant: Tariq builds bridges of understanding across faiths and cultures. He is a qualified specialist in Muslim, Christian, Jewish relations.

CONTACT:

www.gibraltarconsulting.co

1-800-840-8372

@PatentInsider

Tariq Najee-ullah Experience

Patent Agent

Founders Legal | Bekiares Eliezer LLP

Nov 2017 – Present

Atlanta, GA

As a registered patent agent who supports the firm’s intellectual property practice group for patent prosecution matters before the US Patent and Trademark Office. This includes patent drafting, patent research, responding to Office actions, and other patent prosecution matters.

Tariq brings ten years of USPTO patent examiner experience to his IP practice. He’s examined hundreds of patents. As an experienced patent researcher, he’s performed countless prior art searches. His patent research technical expertise covers electrical engineering technologies including, telecommunications,

Tariq Najee-ullah, the Patent Insider

The goal of the Invention Stories Podcast is to share interviews that when listened to and when the advice that is shared is followed…result in Helping People Invent Smarter.  During the last 51 interviews, we’ve share interviews from successful inventors from all over the world, an infomercial host, CEO’s, Time’s 2017 Inventions of the Year Winners…the list goes on and on.  Today, we share what could be our most useful interview to date…what happens after your patent application is sent to the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office)…and more…

Our guest this week on the Invention Stories Podcast Episode 52 is Tariq Najee-ullah, the Patent Insider

Tariq Najee-ullah, the Patent Insider

Tariq utilizes his 10 year USPTO patent examiner insider experience to efficiently navigate the patent prosecution process.  In addition, he helps tech startups get quality patents more effectively.

Tariq’s services include:  patent searching, patent prosecution, and intellectual property law.

Founders Legal

Founders Legal is based at Atlanta Tech Village.  Tariq’s team at Founders Legal understands the business of tech entrepreneurship. They use internal proprietary software solutions to improve efficiency, resulting in reduces overhead, and generate a cost savings for their clients. Founders Legal boutique firm uses a flat rate value based pricing system for most of their Intellectual Property engagements to help you accurately set your IP budget for your patent portfolio while delivering a premium quality work product.

Tariq invites you to email him…[email protected]

To schedule a free 15-min consultation (calendly.com/patentinsider)

www.founderslegal.com

phone:  (404) 537-3664 Direct or (404) 537-3686 Ext 810 Office

Gibraltar Consulting LLC

Gibraltar Consulting LLC offers a number of professional services in the following areas.

Patent Practitioner Services

Gibraltar Consulting LLC supports IP law firms with patent searches, patent prosecution, and patent drafting services as an exclusive or limited engagement contractor. Tariq’s team of former patent examiners conduct professional patent searches for clients seeking Freedom to Operate and Patentability reports.

IT Recruiting Services I help Government contractors fill highly skilled IT positions, especially those requiring security clearance.

Mobile Apps Digital Marketing

Tariq helps Fortune 500 businesses market goods, products, and services to the millennial market using mobile apps (games and custom emojis). They help clients reach custom audiences in underrepresented niches.

Interfaith Consultant: Tariq builds bridges of understanding across faiths and cultures. He is a qualified specialist in Muslim, Christian, Jewish relations.

CONTACT:

www.gibraltarconsulting.co

1-800-840-8372

@PatentInsider

Tariq Najee-ullah Experience

Patent Agent

Founders Legal | Bekiares Eliezer LLP

Nov 2017 – Present

Atlanta, GA

As a registered patent agent who supports the firm’s intellectual property practice group for patent prosecution matters before the US Patent and Trademark Office. This includes patent drafting, patent research, responding to Office actions, and other patent prosecution matters.

Tariq brings ten years of USPTO patent examiner experience to his IP practice. He’s examined hundreds of patents. As an experienced patent researcher, he’s performed countless prior art searches. His patent research technical expertise covers electrical engineering technologies including, telecommunications,

Clicktivism…Episode 51…Jacey Bingler and Ecosia

Clicktivism…Ecosia’s is a search engine like Google, Yahoo, and Bing that helps the user find what they are looking for. The difference is that Ecosia uses most of the revenue they generate into planting trees.

So Ecosia’s search results are powered by Bing and Ecosia’s own search algorithms.  Ecosia is a search engine that advertises next to their search results and are paid by  Bing (their partner) for every click on a sponsored link for directing users to their advertisers. The payment from the advertisements varies depending on competition for the keyword and value of what is being advertised. 

Ecosia states on average a search raises around half a Euro cent (0.005 EUR).  And it takes 45 searches on average to fund the planting of a single tree.   In additiona, Ecosia also assures there are algorithms designed to detect fake and random advertisement clicks made by users which invalidate them. The total number of trees being planted by Ecosia is visible below the search area.

Ecosia also raises funds through its second product EcoLinks, a Browser Extension that allows users to donate to Ecosia via their online purchases. Operators of online stores pay a commission to Ecosia (usually a rate between 2 to 10%) when a user lands on their shop via  clicking on an EcoLink and purchases any service or product.

Ecosia supports country-based country filtering but not the displaying of worldwide information as of July 2016.

The Ecosia Story

In September 2009, Ecosia received $21,500 in seed capital, and the search engine launched on December 7, 2009, to coincide with UN climate talks in Copenhagen. Ecosia has donated to different tree-planting programs. Until December 2010 Ecosia’s donations went to a program by the World Wide Fund for Nature, Germany that protected the Juruena National Park in the Amazon basin.  To ensure the protection was maintained, Ecosia drew up and financed plans with the local communities and timber companies.

From December 2009 to August 2013, Ecosia donated to the Plant a Billion Trees program run by the Nature Conservancy.  This program aims to restore the Brazilian Atlantic Forest by planting one billion native trees by 2015. By 2011, Ecosia had raised over €250,000.   By 2013, about 200,000 people were using Ecosia, and 116,000 seedlings had been funded by Ecosia’s donations.

 

Spring 2013

So in spring 2013, Ecosia announced an improvement of its donation model in addition to the quality of the search results. However, due to technical difficulties, the company temporarily had to use a feed subject to charges. And during this period, an Ecolink partner had to suddenly terminated their partnership. As a result Ecosia made an agreement with WWF whereby the donations from November 2012 until February 2013 were restricted to 20,000 Euros per month. Once this financial bottleneck had been overcome, the normal donation model was immediately restored.

When Ecosia relaunch  their search engine December 14, 2013 and switched to a new reforestation program by The Nature Conservancy (TNC). This signified a change since the company was no longer protecting forested areas but financing a reforestation program.  In 2015,  Ecosia started funding reforestation in Burkina Faso as part of the Great Green Wall project, which is backed by the African Union and the World Bank.  

So according to B-labs, as of January 2015, “In donating 80 percent of its ad revenue, the search engine has raised over $1.5 million for rain forest protection since its founding in December 2009.”  And according to Ecosia, by 2015, the search engine had almost 2.5 million active users, and searches through it had resulted in more than 2 million trees being planted.

Clicktivism…Episode 51…Jacey Bingler and Ecosia

Clicktivism…Ecosia’s is a search engine like Google, Yahoo, and Bing that helps the user find what they are looking for. The difference is that Ecosia uses most of the revenue they generate into planting trees.

So Ecosia’s search results are powered by Bing and Ecosia’s own search algorithms.  Ecosia is a search engine that advertises next to their search results and are paid by  Bing (their partner) for every click on a sponsored link for directing users to their advertisers. The payment from the advertisements varies depending on competition for the keyword and value of what is being advertised. 

Ecosia states on average a search raises around half a Euro cent (0.005 EUR).  And it takes 45 searches on average to fund the planting of a single tree.   In additiona, Ecosia also assures there are algorithms designed to detect fake and random advertisement clicks made by users which invalidate them. The total number of trees being planted by Ecosia is visible below the search area.

Ecosia also raises funds through its second product EcoLinks, a Browser Extension that allows users to donate to Ecosia via their online purchases. Operators of online stores pay a commission to Ecosia (usually a rate between 2 to 10%) when a user lands on their shop via  clicking on an EcoLink and purchases any service or product.

Ecosia supports country-based country filtering but not the displaying of worldwide information as of July 2016.

The Ecosia Story

In September 2009, Ecosia received $21,500 in seed capital, and the search engine launched on December 7, 2009, to coincide with UN climate talks in Copenhagen. Ecosia has donated to different tree-planting programs. Until December 2010 Ecosia’s donations went to a program by the World Wide Fund for Nature, Germany that protected the Juruena National Park in the Amazon basin.  To ensure the protection was maintained, Ecosia drew up and financed plans with the local communities and timber companies.

From December 2009 to August 2013, Ecosia donated to the Plant a Billion Trees program run by the Nature Conservancy.  This program aims to restore the Brazilian Atlantic Forest by planting one billion native trees by 2015. By 2011, Ecosia had raised over €250,000.   By 2013, about 200,000 people were using Ecosia, and 116,000 seedlings had been funded by Ecosia’s donations.

 

Spring 2013

So in spring 2013, Ecosia announced an improvement of its donation model in addition to the quality of the search results. However, due to technical difficulties, the company temporarily had to use a feed subject to charges. And during this period, an Ecolink partner had to suddenly terminated their partnership. As a result Ecosia made an agreement with WWF whereby the donations from November 2012 until February 2013 were restricted to 20,000 Euros per month. Once this financial bottleneck had been overcome, the normal donation model was immediately restored.

When Ecosia relaunch  their search engine December 14, 2013 and switched to a new reforestation program by The Nature Conservancy (TNC). This signified a change since the company was no longer protecting forested areas but financing a reforestation program.  In 2015,  Ecosia started funding reforestation in Burkina Faso as part of the Great Green Wall project, which is backed by the African Union and the World Bank.  

So according to B-labs, as of January 2015, “In donating 80 percent of its ad revenue, the search engine has raised over $1.5 million for rain forest protection since its founding in December 2009.”  And according to Ecosia, by 2015, the search engine had almost 2.5 million active users, and searches through it had resulted in more than 2 million trees being planted.

Episode 50 of the Invention Stories Podcast…Conrad Lewis and eSight share the story behind the device that is helping to make blindness history.  Imagine creating a device that allows blind people to see.  I find this invention story the most beautiful and important we’ve share.  Just image…seeing your child for the first time…or your spouse or parent.  eSight is AMAZING!  -Robert Bear

Click here to visit their website.

Conrad Lewis and eSight eyewear

Conrad Lewis has experience at starting and managing technology-based companies. He has served as both a chief marketing officer and chief technology officer of 2 multi-billion dollar international public companies.

The esight eyewear movement began when Conrad Lewis dared to dream of a better world for his legally blind sisters. Conrad wanted nothing more than to see them be truly mobile and independent.   Gone with be the limitations that come with blindness, and the many single-purpose assistive devices that had become the norm.

Inspired by those who live with blindness, the eSight team of world class Visioneers have spent years of hard work into turning this dream into  reality.

eSight Core Belief

The eSight core belief is that Everyone Deserves To See. They believe in universal access to sight and the experiences, both beautiful and essential, that it enables. This belief has inspired their global commitment to Make Blindness History by 2020, now that a technology as revolutionary and transformational as eSight exists.

Contribute Today

For individuals who, understandably, cannot afford the entire cost of eSight, they have pioneered a one-of-a-kind program dedicated to helping these individuals.

eSight believes your ability to pay should not define your access to sight and the life changing impact of our technology. Which is why they have assembled an incredible team of eSight Affordability Advocates — whose sole responsibility is to work with you to secure the financial resources needed for your very own eSight.

Click here to give the gift of sight today.

 

eSight Videos

 

 

10 eSight Links

First of all…eSight – Facebook Page

Another…eSight (@eSightEyewear) · Twitter Page

In Addition…The eSight 3 is an augmented reality headset designed to help the …

And…eSight FAQ | – Low Vision Specialists of Maryland

Most Noteworthy…ESight eyewear – Product Profile – American Foundation for the Blind

Also…These amazing electronic glasses help the legally blind see

Smart…Esight Smart Glasses Are Changing Blind People’s Lives, And It’s …

And…eSight 3: Restoring Sight, Improving Lives – Artefact

Great one…

Episode 50 of the Invention Stories Podcast…Conrad Lewis and eSight share the story behind the device that is helping to make blindness history.  Imagine creating a device that allows blind people to see.  I find this invention story the most beautiful and important we’ve share.  Just image…seeing your child for the first time…or your spouse or parent.  eSight is AMAZING!  -Robert Bear

Click here to visit their website.

Conrad Lewis and eSight eyewear

Conrad Lewis has experience at starting and managing technology-based companies. He has served as both a chief marketing officer and chief technology officer of 2 multi-billion dollar international public companies.

The esight eyewear movement began when Conrad Lewis dared to dream of a better world for his legally blind sisters. Conrad wanted nothing more than to see them be truly mobile and independent.   Gone with be the limitations that come with blindness, and the many single-purpose assistive devices that had become the norm.

Inspired by those who live with blindness, the eSight team of world class Visioneers have spent years of hard work into turning this dream into  reality.

eSight Core Belief

The eSight core belief is that Everyone Deserves To See. They believe in universal access to sight and the experiences, both beautiful and essential, that it enables. This belief has inspired their global commitment to Make Blindness History by 2020, now that a technology as revolutionary and transformational as eSight exists.

Contribute Today

For individuals who, understandably, cannot afford the entire cost of eSight, they have pioneered a one-of-a-kind program dedicated to helping these individuals.

eSight believes your ability to pay should not define your access to sight and the life changing impact of our technology. Which is why they have assembled an incredible team of eSight Affordability Advocates — whose sole responsibility is to work with you to secure the financial resources needed for your very own eSight.

Click here to give the gift of sight today.

 

eSight Videos

 

 

10 eSight Links

First of all…eSight – Facebook Page

Another…eSight (@eSightEyewear) · Twitter Page

In Addition…The eSight 3 is an augmented reality headset designed to help the …

And…eSight FAQ | – Low Vision Specialists of Maryland

Most Noteworthy…ESight eyewear – Product Profile – American Foundation for the Blind

Also…These amazing electronic glasses help the legally blind see

Smart…Esight Smart Glasses Are Changing Blind People’s Lives, And It’s …

And…eSight 3: Restoring Sight, Improving Lives – Artefact

Great one…

Episode 49…What Advice Would You Give An Inventor?

In Episode 49 we feature the advice shared by the guest of the Invention Stories Podcast.  Since we began the Invention Stories Podcast we’ve either finished the interviews by asking “What advice would you give…or what have you enjoyed most?”

The Invention Stories Podcast was created with one goal in mind…To Help People Invent Smarter.  So if you are an inventor, have an idea for an invention, or new to the podcast, we invite you to listen to this podcast.  In addition to their answers, I share some of what I remember most about the interviews.

 

Episode 48…Beth Kuehl and the Great Plate

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

The Great Plate™ was created when Beth Kuehl tried to find a solution to the problem of teens spilling their snacks.

So click here for more information.

Episode 47…Bren Smith and Greenwave

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Bren Smith is an ocean farmer and Greenwave is fisherman-run organization dedicated to building a new blue-green economy that creates jobs, mitigates climate change and grows healthy food for local communities.

And click here for more information.

 

Jenny Faw…Episode 46…Dibzy, Jenny Faw Designs and What Every Toy Inventor Should Know

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Jenny Faw is a product designer with a 20 year track record of creating and producing top selling products for the infant and children’s home furnishings industry…in addition to the gift, tabletop, bath and décor categories.

So Click here for more information....

Episode 49…What Advice Would You Give An Inventor?

In Episode 49 we feature the advice shared by the guest of the Invention Stories Podcast.  Since we began the Invention Stories Podcast we’ve either finished the interviews by asking “What advice would you give…or what have you enjoyed most?”

The Invention Stories Podcast was created with one goal in mind…To Help People Invent Smarter.  So if you are an inventor, have an idea for an invention, or new to the podcast, we invite you to listen to this podcast.  In addition to their answers, I share some of what I remember most about the interviews.

 

Episode 48…Beth Kuehl and the Great Plate

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

The Great Plate™ was created when Beth Kuehl tried to find a solution to the problem of teens spilling their snacks.

So click here for more information.

Episode 47…Bren Smith and Greenwave

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Bren Smith is an ocean farmer and Greenwave is fisherman-run organization dedicated to building a new blue-green economy that creates jobs, mitigates climate change and grows healthy food for local communities.

And click here for more information.

 

Jenny Faw…Episode 46…Dibzy, Jenny Faw Designs and What Every Toy Inventor Should Know

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Jenny Faw is a product designer with a 20 year track record of creating and producing top selling products for the infant and children’s home furnishings industry…in addition to the gift, tabletop, bath and décor categories.

So Click here for more information....