
Ask HN: Monetize a small R&D lab? - engineerxb
I run a small r&amp;d lab, building  prototypes (mostly hardware) of cool experiences for museums and schools. I was wondering if there was a way to monetize that wasn’t ‘work for hire’ as I’m currently doing.
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qhoc
Depending on how sophisticated your prototypes are (or something I can google
and do myself), there are definitely values. But you need to share more info
for me to advise. I do look for HW prototyping services sometime but it'd
require someone who knows specialized fields (fluid physics). You should start
to test by doing a bunch of videos to post of social media and see what kind
of responses there are.

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engineerxb
Ive been getting rewards and media attention for the last 8 years or so. Which
leads to work for hire. But im trying to figure out if zi can monetize with a
digital product, in order to spend more time building prototypes which by
themselves become marketing. The question is... th thing im marketing... could
it be something else than work for hire?

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matt_the_bass
Perhaps an alternative approach would be to productive some of your
prototypes. For example, have you made a cool exhibit for a children’s museum?
If so can you make it generic for all children museums?

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chris11
I think that a great children's museum exhibit would be really interactive and
engaging. So if there's an exciting exhibit, I'd think there would be interest
in smaller educational projects the kids and their parents could put together.
So the OP could also offer to design related educational toys that the museum
could sell in their shop, or the OP could sell on his site. At the very least,
he could have free instructional videos on his site related to his educational
exhibits.

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matt_the_bass
Good idea to make a related product to sell in the museum shop.

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kmmbvnr_
What about to try to sell DIY kits or just digital instructions, DIY models
for 3D printing.

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assafmo
Teach a class for kids in your lab. Teach them electronics and how build cool
small stuff.

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zer00eyz
I can't stress this enough.

Education won't make you rich, or famous, but it will pay the bills.

The biggest hurdles are going to be initial program development and then
initial roll out (your first customers) and sadly your probably going to have
to do this on your own dime.

If you can build an initial draft of what you want to do, and then fund it
yourself most schools will happily trade "feedback" for free stuff.

There is a caveat in all this: you need to find a way to fund your program
going forward. Most schools ignore grant writing much more than they should
and the feds love to give out money. If you can find a program that is already
administered (state or federal) and give the schools your working with a
template for application then most of them are going to jump at the chance to
take advantage of what your offering.

