Alamo Inventors, San Antonio, Texas

Come and learn about inventing and how to take your idea to the next level.
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Once a month, we have a meeting with a presentation about something invention related. Sometimes it's the creative part, like how someone came up with an idea. Sometimes it's the legal parts, like protection, patents, trademark, & licensing. Manufacturing comes up a lot, and so does marketing. We always enjoy our speakers, and we always learn from them. Questions are always encouraged, and our speakers share insights you can't get anywhere else. Before the meeting, you can visit with other inventors. New faces are always welcome, and if you have questions about invention or patents or marketing or ... there are usually members who can help guide you.

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Meeting Date
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Register on Zoom to Receive the Meeting Code by Email

6PM CST, usually until 8PM or so. This meeting is online, on Zoom

Speaker:
Melanie Romero

Topic:
License It, Sell It or Build It: The Real Decisions Inventors Face

Every inventor faces the same big questions:Should I patent it? Do I need a trademark? And once it’s real—do I license it, sell it, or build a business? In this candid, real-world session, Melanie shares how she made these decisions with her latest invention, oktō—and how she’s using AI as a powerful tool throughout the process.
You’ll learn:
• How to evaluate whether a patent is worth the cost
• When a trademark can be more valuable than a patent
• The pros and cons of licensing vs. selling vs. building a brand
• How AI can accelerate product development, messaging, and go-to-market strategy
• Key lessons from both successes and missteps

Melanie presents in a casual, interactive style—encouraging questions and tailoring the conversation in real time to focus on what matters most to the audience.

Melanie Romero is a mechanical engineer, lifelong inventor, and Regional Sales Manager for Kinetrol USA, where she has spent over 25 years driving growth across the Western U.S. She has successfully brought multiple consumer products to market through retailers like Walmart, QVC, HSN, and Ace Hardware.

As the founder of okto, Melanie combines engineering, creativity, and real-world sales expertise to develop innovative products — including her latest patent-pending pickleball backpack designed for both sport and business use.
oktogear.com
www.instagram.com/oktogear



Guests are welcome.
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We Look Forward to Seeing You on Zoom

AI SIG Meeting
On the last Thursday of the month, at 6PM, the Alamo Inventors AI group will meet, exploring the convergence of artificial intelligence, inventing, and entrepreneurship.
aisig.alamoinventors.org




Guests are welcome.

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