A one stop invention shop.

From day one there were people telling Michael Gauthier, co-owner of Deviat Product Development Services, his business idea would not work.

"Now they are one of our biggest supporters in terms of network referrals," Michael Gauthier says.

Inventors from all over Canada and the United States have sought the straightforward, honest opinions of the Sudbury-based Gauthier and his business partner, wife Denise Gauthier.

"We are seeing about 500 inventions every year now," he says.

Just three years ago, it was more like 300.

Most of the inventors come as referrals or obtain information from their Web site. Deviat gets referrals from mayors' offices, innovation centres, university and college facilities and chamber of commerce agencies in every Northern Ontario city.

Success in the invention world is defined as the ability to reap more revenue from a product than was spent during development.

Gauthier's average rate of success is approximately 35 per cent, worlds above the national average of 1.5-2 per cent.

He prides himself on being a strict devil's advocate. One of the biggest reasons for invention success is because Gauthier puts everything on the table together--from well-researched documents to what he considers "crap."

"What that does is weed out the inventions that don't show promise."

For the inventor, it means they know where their idea stands in the marketplace and know how much money, if any, they should spend.

People either love or hate him for his candidness, but most ultimately end up respecting his viewpoint, he says.

One would probably have to leave not just the region but the province of Ontario to find another company that offers the range of services available to Deviat clients, according to Gauthier.

His work begins with a consultation that informs the inventor of the prospective process and the costs associated with bringing the idea to market. Then a draft of a three-dimensional model is created to assist manufacturers in developing the product. The next stage is a patent search that identifies patents throughout the world that relate to the invention. It brings to light the probability of obtaining a patent for the invention in question. By that time, the inventor and Deviat have usually approached buyers to purchase the product.

Gauthier hires three extra people to help with researching when the business gets really busy.

Now in the 6,200 square foot former Garson Town Hall, Gauthier can host board meetings, store products and provide information to clients without leaving the building.

www.deviat.com

By KELLY LOUISEIZE

Northern Ontario Business