The New York Times

The following is an excerpt from the piece in The New York Times.  To read the complete original article, click here: Quirky Judges Good Ideas

While many people have passing ideas for new household products, few make the effort to realize them. But Quirky, a self-described “social product development” company, is changing that. Founded by Ben Kaufman, a 24-year-old inventor and entrepreneur, the company solicits ideas for new products on its Web site, bringing the most popular suggestions to life with the help of in-house product designers and an online community, and then sharing the profits.

Beginning Tuesday at 10 p.m., the Sundance Channel will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the company with “Quirky,” a six-episode series. The first one shows how the company developed the ideas of two amateur inventors: Jake Zien, who dreamed up a power strip with repositionable outlets, and Andrea Zabinski, who wanted a serving bowl that doubled as a colander to cut down on dirty dishes.
Mr. Kaufman recently answered questions about how Quirky works.

Why work with independent inventors?

It’s casting a wider net. Unfortunately, for centuries, it’s been really, really hard for people who have great ideas to execute their ideas. They need access to capital, they need to know the right people, etc. The people who are inherently designers usually find a way to get things made, but the people who are just great problem solvers are usually left by the wayside, and their ideas never see the light of day.

Do most of these ideas come from the struggles of daily life?

Yes. The best products in the world are the result of problems that people are experiencing. The products in the first episode, Jake’s pivotable power strip and Andrea’s strainer bowl, are two problem-solving products. They’re not frivolous things. Andrea didn’t want to wash all the bowls in her sink, and Jake was annoyed that he couldn’t fit all the power bricks into his power strip. They’re simple problems that resulted in brilliant solutions.

Who is the ideal Quirky inventor?