Ask HN: Monetize a small R&D lab?

[engineerxb]

I run a small r&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.

[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.

[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?

[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?

[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.

[matt_the_bass]

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

[DrNuke]

One of your products / prototypes must really take off to put your lab into a different light (and league) imho. What kind of digital product were you thinking of? A Youtube channel is more than enough and the most direct way these days but you still need a clear hook aka hit to emerge from the unknown maybe?

[kmmbvnr_]

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

[assafmo]

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

[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.