Inventors who want to learn how to turn their ideas into money-makers are invited to attend an NIU seminar on how to accomplish their goals.

The program is sponsored by NIU’s Technology Commercialization Center and will be held Tuesday at the Rockford Inn, 7550 E. State St., Rockford.

The seminar is free and will be offered from 3 to 5 p.m. and again from 6 to 8 p.m.

Seminars have already been held in DeKalb and Aurora, with one planned for Elgin, TCC Director Larry Sill said. “We try to reach out to the major metropolitan areas around DeKalb.”

TCC started at NIU in 1984. The program, funded by the state of Illinois Technology Program, was established so that small business owners could take advantage of NIU’s resources. “Through the center, we are able to give the people a window on the best resources at the university,” Sill said.

Several DeKalb companies have taken advantage of TCC’s resources. Phytofarms of America, Inc., a local company that grows vegetables and herbs indoors with artificial light, has profited from an association with TCC, Sill said.

TCC helped Phytofarms solve a variety of problems, from dealing with diseased plants to translating the company’s literature into other languages so they could market their products abroad. Through TCC, Phytofarms was able to tap resources in NIU’s engineering, art and biology departments.

Phytofarms, a small company with 40 employees, “uses innovative technology and has a great potential for future development,” Sill said.

For more information and reservations for the seminar call 753-1238.

“We try to reach out to the major metropolitan areas around DeKalb.”

Larry Sill, TCC director