World Creativity and Innovation Week, April 15 (Leonardo da Vinci’s birthday) through April 21, is a week to “celebrate the creative potential in all of us to make the world a better place.” Since its inception in 2002, more than 100 businesses, communities, and schools in over 40 countries hold Innovation Week activities to enliven the creative spirit and inspire people to use their imaginations and come up with new ideas that make a positive difference at home, at work and at school.

In Pittsburgh, where Davison is headquartered, we are used to celebrating creativity 365 days a year. Known for its innovative and can-do spirit, countless innovations have been created or founded in Pittsburgh that have improved the lives of millions, including the world’s first: wire cable that made suspension bridges possible, air brakes that enabled trains to stop safely, labor unions, electric lighting, public libraries, professional football, World Series, banana split, movie theater, radio broadcast, road map, EMT program, modern environmental movement, clean air legislation, polio vaccine, and the Big Mac, to name just a few!

Pittsburgh also is home to educational institutions that have led the way in innovation, such as CMU’s Robotics Institute, which has been leading the world in integrating robotic technologies into everyday life, as well as advancing the exploration of the solar system. Our medical facilities also are centers of innovation and have pioneered medical breakthroughs, such as advances in organ transplantation and genetics at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. As Andy Masich, CEO of Sen. John Heinz History Center states: “There’s no place on the planet that can equal Pittsburgh’s tradition of innovation.” The History Center’s groundbreaking exhibit “Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation,” brings to life a variety of historical models from Pittsburgh’s 250-year history. Check out this great video that documents Pittsburgh’s creative legacy, and let’s all carry on the tradition of innovation!

The Perfect Serve, Davison’s new combination pizza cutter and spatula, is now for sale in Taylor Gifts, a popular online retailer. The innovative kitchen gadget makes it easier to neatly slice and serve a pizza without having to cut through repeatedly, or use your fingers to help dish it up.

We developed the Perfect Serve pizza cutter and with a non-slip rubber handle, so users can secure a tight grip as the stainless steel wheel slices through pizza crust and all of the toppings. The cutting wheel is located at the front of the spatula to avoid rubbing knuckles across hot pizza, and the contoured edge conforms to the crust of the pizza for serving it to friends and family. Not only great for pizza, it can also be used for dishing up dessert after dinner! 

This corporate product was invented and licensed by Davison for its own benefit.

The newest innovations in the sewing/crafting world have just hit the store shelves, and they all have a blue “D” on the package. Four Davison products/packages, including a client project that we developed for a corporation are now in Jo-Ann stores, a leading specialty retailer of crafting and sewing products.

The Better Bobbin, invented by our client, Thomas, provides an innovative and time-saving way to wind bobbins of all sizes without having to unthread a sewing machine – Congratulations, Thomas! The Quick Cut electric scissors provides a more convenient and precise cutting tool. The Travel Folding Stitcher’s Tools combines tape measure, scissors, needle threader, seam ripper, stiletto, and a removable magnifying glass in one. We also created interactive packaging for the Petite Press mini iron.

A typical project does not get a royalty agreement, sell in stores or generate a profit. The client has not made a profit on this product.

Update: Our client, Jean, was featured on ABC demonstrating the Meatball Baker in her kitchen during a newscast. She made perfect meatballs and showed how her dream became a reality.

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The Meatball Baker, an innovative new bakeware item we developed for our client, sold out of all units that were ordered for its debut on QVC from the International Housewares Show in Chicago (follow the link and click Videos to view the latest airing). The Meatball Baker has earned a Customer Top Rating on QVC.com. All customers who rated the product gave it 5 out of 5 stars and rave reviews! To quote just one: “I would LOVE to MEET the person who invented this marvelous pan. Talk about GENIUS!!”

“I just couldn’t believe it!” said our client, inventor of the Meatball Baker. She has great hopes and is receiving a royalty payment on each unit sold!

“It’s great when one of our client’s products gets in with a company like QVC,” said George Davison, CEO. “They have a tremendous marketing tool in their demonstration, which shows the product’s true functionality – cooking some of America’s favorite foods in a healthy way. I thought QVC did a great job and I couldn’t be happier for our client, Jean.”

Due to its initial success, the top-ranked home shopping network in the nation, which broadcasts via cable and satellite TV 24 hours a day to 90 million homes, will feature the Meatball Baker again in an upcoming broadcast. So, check back later for that date and for more exciting news.

In the meantime, View QVC’s on air presentation of this fantastic new bakeware invention!

Inventor’s Story:
We developed the new product for our client, Jean, a busy homemaker. She came up with her idea after getting discouraged whenever she cooked meatballs. They always got flat and cooked unevenly in the frying pan or oven and would sit in their own grease – unhealthy as well as unappetizing.

“I just didn’t like the way mine turned out,” Jean said. “I love to cook, although I’m not that good; but I love to try new things.”

One day, she came up with a solution that would solve both problems. She found Davison and submitted her idea, and the design team went to work. The final product has a unique, rounded rack system that holds and preserves the shape of meatballs and other foods, enabling them to cook evenly while keeping them completely out of the grease.

The product was licensed by a company specializing in extraordinary products for the home. Jean visited Davison while on vacation in 2007 to meet with those working on her project.

“It’s been great – you guys are very knowledgeable,” she said of her experience with Davison. “I was new to all this and I learned a lot.”

A typical project does not get a royalty agreement, sell in stores or generate a profit.