Entrepreneur Plus - Short White
For Subscribers

Licensing a Product Idea From the Government You could uncover your next big product using tech transfer.

By Lee Gimpel

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

While doing a Special Forces documentary, filmmaker Christian D'Andrea ran into a soldier powering up on a military-issue energy bar. It was specially formulated for the demands of the battlefield by the Army's Combat Feeding Directorate in Natick, Massachusetts. But it wasn't available to civilians.

Smelling a business opportunity that was more than bite-size, Christian, 34, and his brother Mark, 31, realized they could license the science behind the snack. In 2004, they signed a deal to commercialize the product beyond guys in green. The Hooah! bar is now sold in thousands of outlets, from Albertsons grocery stores to Amazon.com, and earlier this year the brothers released an energy drink also based on a Natick formulation. By adopting government products, Los Angeles-based D'Andrea Brothers LLC expects to bring in sales of more than $1 million this year.

Continue reading this article — and all of our other premium content with Entrepreneur+

Join the internet’s leading entrepreneur community! With your subscription you’ll get:

  • Access to all of our premium content and an ad-free experience
  • A complimentary subscription to Entrepreneur Magazine
  • Four free e-books a year and 20% off everything from our bookstore
  • Exclusive events with business celebrities and successful entrepreneurs

Editor's Pick

She's Been Coding Since Age 7 and Presented Her Life-Saving App to Tim Cook Last Year. Now 17, She's on Track to Solve Even Bigger Problems.
Lock
I Helped Grow 4 Unicorns Over 10 Years That Generated $18 Billion in Online Revenues. Here's What I've Learned.
Lock
Want to Break Bad Habits and Supercharge Your Business? Use This Technique.
Lock
Don't Have Any Clients But Need Customer Testimonials? Follow These 3 Tricks To Boost Your Rep.
Why Are Some Wines More Expensive Than Others? A Top Winemaker Gives a Full-Bodied Explanation.

Related Topics

Business News

Oscar Mayer Is Changing the Name of Its Iconic Wienermobile

The company is slamming the brakes on its wiener on wheels and rolling out a new meaty ride.

Growing a Business

The Best Way to Run a Business Meeting

All too often, meetings run longer than they should and fail to keep attendees engaged. Here's how to run a meeting the right way.

Fundraising

Working Remote? These Are the Biggest Dos and Don'ts of Video Conferencing

As more and more businesses go remote, these are ways to be more effective and efficient on conference calls.

Devices

Take Your Social Media Earning Potential Sky-High With This $79.97 Quadcopter

Get this beginner-friendly drone for a great price for Father's Day.

Health & Wellness

Sleep Better, Snore Less, and Stay Cool with This Tech-Packed Pillow, Now $49.99

Let technology help you sleep better with this 8-in-1 cooling pillow.