Learn how an invention is made from a seasoned expert.
Prof. Franco Lodato - Councillor for the World Design Business Organization
Global Design & IP Strategist | Councillor, WDBO | Prolific Inventor (80+ Patents) Supporting Entrepreneurs in Innovation, Prototyping & Patent Development
His mission as a SCORE mentor is to provide clear, actionable guidance that helps founders protect their ideas, avoid common IP pitfalls, and build strong, sustainable foundations for long-term innovation and business growth.
He helps entrepreneurs turn ideas into protected, market-ready innovations. With over 30 years of experience and more than 80 patents spanning healthcare, consumer electronics, luxury lifestyle, and sustainability-driven products, I guide clients through the full cycle of intellectual property development, clarifying inventions, strengthening design claims, and preparing strategies for provisional and utility patent filings.
As a prolific innovator with global impact, he specializes in transforming deep human insights and market needs into scalable solutions that deliver measurable environmental and commercial value. His work integrates systems thinking, sustainable design, and biomimicry to help founders create differentiated offerings in competitive markets.
He has led cross-disciplinary design and innovation teams for world-renowned organizations, including Miller-Knoll, Motorola, and Pininfarina, where he helped bring award-winning, market-disruptive products from concept to production. This industry expertise enables him to support SCORE clients not only in protecting their ideas but also in aligning design, manufacturing, and market strategy for real-world success.
He currently serves as a Councillor for the World Design Business Organization (WDBO), a global platform dedicated to advancing design education, creativity, and nature-inspired innovation worldwide. This role reflects his commitment to fostering the future of design thinking and nurturing the next generation of leaders.
