I'm not sure if this is the right forum, but I'll ask this here as it seems like the best one. I have an idea for some language learning software that I think really fills a need in the industry. I know that when I was learning foreign languages I looked for something like it constantly but never found anything. Now, I teach children English, and it just seems like something that is much needed and that a lot of people who want to learn English or other languages would pay for.

The problem is that it's a piece of software that will take some time to develop. It's also rather graphics intensive (something I have no skill for) and will require numerous other things that I just can't do myself, especially while working another job. I have years of software development experience and can prototype various parts of it as a demonstration, but the entire thing is just too big and requires too many skills for me to do myself.

It might be a year or more before the software is in any shape to actually generate income, and I would need to pay competent software developers, graphic designers, and others during that time to get it up in that short of a period. These people's salaries are expensive, not to mention whatever incidental costs arise as well. I have good contacts in the software development industry, as well as a few in the graphic design and animation industries, but I need to have the resources to get it done.

I can coordinate the effort at first such that every one works at home. In fact, this suits software development fairly well as long as I have good people. However, just in salaries alone, I'm probably looking at $200,000 in costs the first year without making a dime.

I obviously don't have this kind of money. Does anyone know where I should look for it or what I should do? Thanks for the help.

>I'm not sure if this is the right forum, but I'll ask this
>here as it seems like the best one. I have an idea for some
>language learning software that I think really fills a need in
>the industry. I know that when I was learning foreign
>languages I looked for something like it constantly but never
>found anything. Now, I teach children English, and it just
>seems like something that is much needed and that a lot of
>people who want to learn English or other languages would pay
>for.
>
>The problem is that it's a piece of software that will take
>some time to develop. It's also rather graphics intensive
>(something I have no skill for) and will require numerous
>other things that I just can't do myself, especially while
>working another job. I have years of software development
>experience and can prototype various parts of it as a
>demonstration, but the entire thing is just too big and
>requires too many skills for me to do myself.
>
>It might be a year or more before the software is in any shape
>to actually generate income, and I would need to pay competent
>software developers, graphic designers, and others during that
>time to get it up in that short of a period. These people's
>salaries are expensive, not to mention whatever incidental
>costs arise as well. I have good contacts in the software
>development industry, as well as a few in the graphic design
>and animation industries, but I need to have the resources to
>get it done.
>
>I can coordinate the effort at first such that every one works
>at home. In fact, this suits software development fairly well
>as long as I have good people. However, just in salaries
>alone, I'm probably looking at $200,000 in costs the first
>year without making a dime.
>
>I obviously don't have this kind of money. Does anyone know
>where I should look for it or what I should do? Thanks for
>the help.

Well I think that you should look into the Small Business Administration. They have grant programs that come under the title of research and developement. And since this is a government grant program the grant award is pretty big.

However you do have to be classified as a business which wouldn't be that hard to set up.

You should go to the government's website and find out more information about it.

Another route for you to try would also be getting investors but personally I'd opt for the grant program(s) if you are eligible for them simply because they won't infringe on your business as much as having investors would.

Rose
Grant Basics 101
http://grantbasics101.bravehost.com/grants.htm