29A- Venture Concept 2

My innovation would to create a new washable 3D printed permeable cast. The opportunity arises for the large amounts of individuals in need of a better cast structure that can help by being more  sensitive as well as better overall better hygiene.  Therefore, my venture concept is to apply my 3D printed permeable cast for individuals who need something better than the dated fiberglass structure that cannot be washed and can accumulate a foul smell over time.

My opportunity further broken down would be for the individuals who require better hygiene and cannot do so with the traditional fiberglass cast. This need can be from small children to old people, male or female, who have a fracture of one of their two forearm bones and/or wrists. The nature of the need is for people who would like to be able to wash themselves and not have to worry about their cast becoming moldy or increasingly smelling bad. Also, the cast could be used for individuals who want are more fashionable. The forces creating the modern cast structure are the increasing technological capabilities of 3D printers. They now have ability to create structures out of plastic and can have many purposes. The market for the new invention is defined based out of Tampa, Florida and then it will spread throughout the southeast then the country then the world. Demographically, the market is defined for individuals who are slightly more wealthy as the cast structure would generally cost more than the current fiberglass structure because of the need to use more technology. The cast would eventually covered by insurance companies as normal casts are but there might be a surcharge for the better version. It would revolutionize the way that individuals are treated medically and could drastically improve skin conditions of users while maintaining the same general use. This "window of opportunity" would be open from when it finally catches on and is used generally until the next version comes out that makes my version obsolete. If it is the same timeframe as mine, then the cast structure could be around for the next couple hundred years.

My innovation would be regarding modernizing the current fiberglass cast that cannot be washed because of the cloth under that if wet has the chance to mold. That to a washable plastic 3D printed cast. I would not define my cast structure as radically innovative but more a innovative product innovation. If you fracture your arm right now, you will go to the hospital and will need to be casted. They will do so by first wrapping your arm in a light cloth that creates a barrier from bare skin and fiberglass which can be a annoying irritant to skin. The problem with this cloth is that it is not supposed to get wet. If it does get wet, it is like any basic cloth, so it will have an increased chance to become moldy and that can be detrimental to the skin it touches. It left me with a skin infection for over a week. My idea is innovative because it essentially takes out the cloth because there is no more use of fiberglass in my model. Instead, the cast will be made out of plastic which has much less irritation on skin. The cast will be made by uploading the individuals exact measurements into the computer controlling the 3D camera and then you will be able to visualize what the cast is going to look like. Once completed, the cast will have just enough flexibility that it can be snapped around the individuals arm but will not be easily taken off. Removing will most likely happen with the vibration saw that they use to take off traditional casts. Durable plastic will have the same strength as fiberglass so the newer version will hold up just the same. This cast structure would be easily washed and dried leading to more comfort and less problems. My innovation would be sold to the Tampa distributor who aims to spread the device over the whole market. I do not aim to make my lifetime savings off this device but just enough that it can support the basis of my real estate development company.

My venture concept is to apply my new innovation of a 3D printed cast to individuals who are in need. My cast will be washable and for people who need cleanliness and best hygiene, they will go for it. Customers would switch to the new product because they either have sensitive skin, wish to remain active, need a standard of hygiene, or want a more fashionable cast. Getting the individuals to switch won't be that hard, getting the doctors to implement them would be the harder idea. The competitors my idea would be other people with the same idea as well as the traditional cast. The traditional cast is already in place and the weaknesses my idea has over the standard cast is that it is already being implemented and has been for a while. I would need to take over a segment of the market from the existing cast and that would be difficult. The traditional cast's vulnerability is that it could be done. Since the cast is not washable and isn't very modern, my cast could shine and catch on to the market quickly once implemented.

The feedback that I received on my Venture Concept 1 was that Tampa would be a great location to start a product such as mine because of all of the potential ways of distribution in the city. As for the responses I got on the "What's Next" assignment, they were mostly agreeing with my way of getting out of the business by eventually selling out to a more major institution in the medical device field. There was some disagreement though as some thought that it would be a hard idea to sell. 

I have changed my venture concept by eliminating the way of creating a storefront where I would try to sell the product myself. Instead I would just try to sell the idea to the highest bidder and see what they could do with it as I held onto some of the equity in the potential company. Instead of getting fully out of the product, I might just sell the majority od the decision making to the height bidder but also keep some equity in the company for as the company and idea grows, the more money that I could potentially make off of it. 




I hope my invention would look something like this.