# Find a need Fill a need

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-a-need-fill-a-need/526414>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 25, 2010, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-a-need-fill-a-need/526414 "2010-01-25T20:25:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![powerjacob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@powerjacob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/powerjacob)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-a-need-fill-a-need/526414/1 "2010-01-25T20:25:02Z")

</div>

Several months back I remember hearing a program on NPR about a website that offered patent information for inventors. What made it interesting is that this particular website had listings of products that companies like Sears, Walmart, and so on would want to sell, but have not been made yet. At the time I thought it was interesting and continued listening. A couple of days later I tried looking for the article on npr’s website, but could not find anything. Fast forward to today… I started out looking on NPR’s site and google. I can find plenty of things about patents and inventions but no website like the one that was mentioned on the radio.

I figured someone here may know what I’m talking about or point me in the right direction.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-a-need-fill-a-need/526414/2 "2010-01-25T20:48:07Z")

</div>

Apparently the [most needed inventions](http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9F07E4DA133EEE34BC4053DFB766838A669FDE) are a method of illumination, a more comfortable rail road seat, and a smoke preventing apparatus.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![LionelHutz405](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lionelhutz405/32/536_2.png) [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-a-need-fill-a-need/526414/3 "2010-01-25T20:58:10Z")

</div>

[http://www.innocentive.com/](http://www.innocentive.com/)

Not really patents, but this site has problems looking for ‘solvers’.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![powerjacob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@powerjacob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/powerjacob)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-a-need-fill-a-need/526414/4 "2010-01-25T21:32:59Z")

</div>

> [@LionelHutz405](#):
>
> [http://www.innocentive.com/](http://www.innocentive.com/)
> 
> Not really patents, but this site has problems looking for ‘solvers’.

I beleive this is it.  
Thank you.