With more than 200 paid-up members, the Houston Inventors Association is by far the largest inventors group in America. Worldwide, the city of Houston ranks fifth in inventiveness, surpassed only by four Japanese cities. Since our beginning in 1983, HIA has become one of the strongest voices in America for the independent inventor, but we also include academic and corporate innovators. Our motto, "Inventors Helping Inventors", expresses our purpose, which we accomplish by sharing our experience in technical areas and our first-hand knowledge of the difficulties in getting from raw idea to marketable product.