Tarkan BASTIYALI: Entrepreneur/Inventor, Bastiyali Inventions

Tell us something about yourself, your background:

My mom is German, and my Dad was born on the island of Rhodes, which is now part of Greece. I was born in Duesseldorf, Germany, and am even fluent in German as well. I spent most of my life growing up in New York, and during my childhood, I visited relatives in Germany and Turkey at least once a year during the summertime. My childhood was challenging, especially in school. Since I suffered from Tourette’s syndrome, a neurological problem, I was bullied all through middle and high school. As a result, I could not focus on academics, and my guidance counselor even told me that no college would accept me. I did manage to get accepted by Northeastern University in Boston. After making the dean’s list there my first year I applied and was accepted into New York University. I majored in history and graduated with honors. After graduating from NYU in 2000, together with my sister we successfully converted my family’s building on 5th Avenue in Manhattan into a one-of-a-kind textile boutique building. Since my father purchased the building, I thank him for helping me have the opportunity to be able to do that. You can see the nicely designed showrooms by visiting www.267fifthave.com.

In 2005 I founded the Midtown Loft and Terrace. My prestigious venue is on the building’s top 2 floors. I came up with the name because, based on the original 20th-century map of NYC, the venue is in Midtown, so I called it the Midtown Loft and later added the Terrace. Many of my corporate clients are Fortune 500 companies such as Disney, IBM, Facebook, Delta, Google, and Salesforce. I am also elated to have won the wedding wire bridal choice award ten years in a row, recognizing the Midtown Loft and Terrace as one of the reputable venues in NYC and a venue recognized globally.

In 2016, I made many upgrades to my venue, which helped increase my company’s profit. For instance, I raised the elevator to the roof level, built out a modern side lobby, and had a retractable roof built out on the Terrace so clients would not have to budget for renting a tent in the event of inclement weather. The Terrace is also equipped with ductless European-style heaters so events can be held year-round. I first learned about the retractable roof concept after attending a technology convention in Istanbul, Turkey. I decided to work with Palmiye, the most well-established company in Turkey. I provided them drawings that I created with my local NY architect. They did an excellent job building out my vision of my dream project. They send a team to NY from Turkey and, in two weeks, constructed the retractable roof with no issues

Between 2017 and 2019, I filed for five patents, three of which were approved by the United States Patent and Trademark Protection Agency (USTPA), with others pending. If you watch the five marketing videos on my site, www.Bastiyalinventions.com, you will see that my style is to showcase a new idea and have a storyline to keep the user interested and engaged. I feel that if the video is entertaining, the user will watch from beginning to end. I feel that traditional voice-over videos will not get you anywhere in this world where people’s attention span has been greatly diminished.

Also, in 2019, I won the DWHA entrepreneurial award and was inducted into Who’s Who, which has been around since 1899

In 2020, to help with the pandemic, my wife and I founded Smart Sanitizer, LLC, a product made in Europe that we are introducing to the United States. I also was surprised the website and trademarks for Smart Sanitizer were available and did not waste any time purchasing the domain www.smartsanitzer.net and filing for trademarks for the perfect name for the product. We are proud to launch this product to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the United States.

Can you list the products you have invented with a brief explanation of each?

Invention #1: Moving 3D Hologram AD

A revolutionary advertising concept. The core concept is a hologram ad displayed on top of any object that moves, such as a taxi, ferry, train, or even a flying taxi set to debut in the future. The hologram ad will display with the aid of an LED hologram fan. Advertisers will pay for assigned time slots, and because this is an inexpensive way to advertise, start-up companies will be able to afford it and have an opportunity to grow their business. Also, patent-pending is an interactive screen where passengers can add special effects to a hologram ad and share it with friends on social media.

Invention #2: SmartSafe Car Console

The primary safety feature of the SmartSafe is a “smart start system” that prevents the car from starting while the driver’s devices such as the smartphone, Apple watch, and even smart glasses are unsecured. This product is equipped with UV lighting to disinfect the devices as well as an ems battery to prevent radiation that may emit from the smartphone. For navigation, the driver can plug Amazon Alexa into one of the sockets, and plug in a transmitter that can synchronize with the driver’s smart home systems and automatically trigger lighting profiles or open the garage door when the car arrives in the driveway. For more information visit www.smartsafe.net. Also, note that getting a patent for the SmartSafe was very challenging. In the beginning stage, I spoke to several patent attorneys and they told me it is not possible to get a patent for the automobile industry. Since I am a person that never gives up, I then came across a company called Mars Rising Inc and they gave me hope that it could be patented. They introduced me to an attorney named Chuck Runyan, and luckily his firm was able to get it approved.

Invention #3: The Air Taxi Pod

The Air Taxi Pod is a revolutionary way for commuters to land and take off from busy Metropolitan cities. The Air Taxi Pod will allow air taxi commuters to reach popular destinations such as airports, stadiums, and the suburbs in the fastest way. If the Air Taxi Pod needs repair, it can be pulled ashore on a pod to a maintenance hangar. Suppose the Air Taxi Base location is no longer economically feasible. In that case, the entire base can be transformed into a barge and be pulled via a tugboat to a more financially sound location. The pod is also equipped with glass insertions ideal for Air Taxi Pods in the Caribbean, creating an underwater ambiance.

Invention #4: SmartSafe Cabinet

The primary function is to lock away people’s smartphones in assigned slots so they can focus on a task without distraction. It is ideal for schools where students will have teachers’ full attention and maximize their learning. A few minutes before any school break, the cabinet will send a text warning the student that the phone will deactivate unless it is placed back in the cabinet. I am thinking teachers can also use the SmartSafe cabinet to punish students who, for example, bully other students, by keeping the phone in the cabinet for an extended time. In addition to schools, the cabinet would be ideal in hospitals to prevent nurses from compromising patients’ health by browsing on their phones instead of attending to them. In any office setting, employees will be more productive to maximize companies’ profits if their smartphones are locked away. The cabinet is also equipped with an integrated charger and UV lighting to disinfect the phones, which will prevent the spread of any viruses.

Invention #5: Reserve My Lounger

A cutting-edge, time-saving product for any vacationer needing to assure their lounge chair is waiting for their arrival at the beach or pool. The lounge is equipped with a SmartSafe that serves a dual function. For families wanting a break from technology, they will place their phones in the safe and only get access once the beach or pool activity is over. For those who want technology with the aid of a solar panel, they can charge their phones in the safe and even lock away their valuables in it.

Invention #6: Reserve My Buoy

Reserve My Buoy allows boaters an opportunity to reserve a buoy in any bay in advance. As the number of vessels increases each year, there is a greater chance for a boater to get locked out of a bay, forcing the captain to drop anchor for an overnight stay, which is less secure. With reserve, my buoy boaters can enjoy their vacation without having to worry about securing a buoy, and establishments such as restaurants in bays and governments will make money online charging for the buoy.

Invention #7: Smart Sanitizer Kiosk

Although I did not invent the Smart Sanitizer Kiosk, I was introduced to the product from a manufacturer in Turkey, and because they heard I am an inventor, they thought I could improve it. That is exactly what I did, and in return, they even offered me exclusivity in the United States to sell it. I first filed for trademarks for the name Smart Sanitizer and was fortunate that it was available. I then also purchased the domain name for a reasonable price. I believe with the improvements I made to this product, there is currently no better sanitizer in the United States than my Smart Sanitizer. The Smart Sanitizer Kiosk is a touchless hand sanitizer and body temperature/UV light kiosk with app integration, the number-one smart technology in hand hygiene. The smart sanitizer replaces ordinary disinfect options with an ongoing profit center for businesses to generate leads and revenue and increase brand exposure. While designed with public health preparedness in mind, the Smart Sanitizer offers companies competitive digital ads and signage space to engage and inform audiences. In today’s challenging times, maximizing alternative revenue sources is key, and Smart Sanitizer advertising programs do just that. Each Kiosk is fully customizable for adding company graphics and logos to make the Smart Sanitizer their own.

How and why did you start inventing? What set you off?

I would say that one word that set me off is passion. At this stage in my life, I have found that inventing is not only what I have a natural talent for but am most passionate about. In the two years from 2017 to 2019, I patented five ideas and am turning one of them, the Smart Sanitizer, into a business and hope it will create a pipeline for all my inventions to be licensed. I still treat each idea as my baby and am equally passionate about all of them. For the past year, I have been writing two more patents and am excited to release the video for one of them to my friends, family, and fans following me on Instagram by the spring of 2021.

How do you get from idea to finished product?

The ultimate goal for an inventor is to license the idea for a royalty or a flat fee. If the inventor pays the maintenance fees, then one day securing a license for a 30-year utility patent can become a reality. In my opinion, if an inventor offers a package of the information listed in the points I am making from A to E below to the company’s decision-maker, then they can reach what I call a tier-one stage for a final product.

(A)

Create a website dedicated to the idea, such as I did for the SmartSafe car console. The site for that idea is www.smartsafe.net. I also own the domain names for all my patented ideas that I have filed. For instance, I own www.Moving3dhologram.com. www.resegemybuoy.com, www.reservemylounge.com to name a few. Over the years, I have often vacationed along the French Riviera, and I know that my concept for reserving a lounge chair is much better than the current one and thus have even secured the domain www.reservermachaiselongue.com

In addition to having an approved patent, I advise inventors to obtain a patent valuation report. This way, the company decision-maker knows there are no loopholes. The patent valuation report will protect both the inventor and the company, especially if the inventor is seeking an exclusive deal with the company. Having an approved patent makes it easier to get an appointment and be heard by a company’s decision-makers, but from the companies’ point of view, it is a lot easier to pay an inventor. Because companies are always worried about being audited, they prefer to pay an inventor based on the patent number so that everything looks official on their books.

(B)

Having trademarks for the patent-approved concept gives the inventor leverage. The inventor could ask for more royalties to include the trademarks as part of the deal. When a company engages in an agreement with an inventor, they still would have to go through the process to secure a name. If an inventor already has the perfect name for the product, the transaction will be turnkey. Regarding my modern-looking machine that sanitizes, I was surprised to learn that the domain name www.smartsanitizer.com was available for a reasonable price of under $3000. The trademarks for the smart sanitizer were also available. I wasted no time securing both. Because the name “Smart Sanitizer” fits perfectly with the product, in the future, assuming that I generate a lot of sales from my smart sanitizer app, I will be put in a position to sell the company as one package deal to the highest bidder and will be a turnkey transaction.

(C)

I recommend inventors to show proof of concept using the latest software animation technology. For the past three years, I have been working weekly with Patrick A. Dickerson. He is a 3D Graphic artist and owns a company called “The Animated Pixel.” His animation work is very realistic and is always up to date with the latest animation technology. Showing proof of concept is enough to get a license, and reaching the tier-one stage of a final product is attainable for most inventors because it is affordable.

(D)

Having connections with people in government, celebrities, or successful business owners can help with a product endorsement. When this pandemic is over, I plan to contact celebrities that had an event at my venue to help promote some of my inventions, such as the SmartSafe because it will save lives.

(E)

Flow charts are another alternative for an inventor to show a product from start to finish to a company decision-maker. I did this for both my lounge and buoy idea and the image entitled lounge flow chart.

During the pandemic, a friend of mine introduced me to a contact in Turkey, which had built out a sanitizing machine that looked very sleek and modern like an Apple phone. The primary function was to sanitize a person’s hands and checks their temperature, and best of all, any company can put its company logo on it.

I told the manufacturer in Turkey I would only be interested in introducing this product to the United States market if I could develop the product further and if they could build a prototype to my specifications. They agreed to work with me because they knew that I could further advance this technology, given that I have so many patents. To start, I was thinking to have something built not just for the COVID-19 era but post-COVID-19 as well. I see that people are on their smartphones all the time, and I patented claims for UV lighting to disinfect phones in both the SmartSafe cabinet and the SmartSafe car console. If you type in “germs and smartphones” in a Google search, you will find many articles explaining how dirty these smartphones are. After doing that research, I felt it would be great to cut out a box in the machine in which to place one’s phone and other personal belongings to have them sanitized with UV light technology. Furthermore, I had the manufacturer build it so that the UV light stays on for 15 seconds, and once it is off, the phone is disinfected and can be retrieved. I wanted it to be 15 seconds long so the person can watch ads on the screen. I then teamed up with an app developer, Michael Healy, from a company called Tangosys (www.tangosys.com). His company helped make this machine a profit center for business owners by creating an app through which ads would run onto the machine.

Also, you may have noticed that if you go to any retail store in the afternoon, the sanitizer is usually empty. Our machine will send a text reminder to management when the liquid is low. We are proud that our liquid is made in the USA and has a nice aroma that most people should like.