How an outside idea reaches a company, in its own words · checked 2026-10-29
How to sell an idea to Ford
Does not take outside ideas
Ford, its employees, suppliers and contractors do not accept, review or consider ideas they did not ask for, from ad campaigns to product designs. It has bought the commuter shuttle Chariot and the scooter company Spin.
Read off Ford's own pages on
Where pitches like these are made: CES, Las Vegas · Wiidii, CC BY-SA 4.0
In its own words
“Ford Motor Company, its employees, suppliers, and contractors do not accept, review, or consider any unsolicited ideas, works, materials, proposals, suggestions, artwork, content or the like, including for advertising campaigns, promotions, products, services, technologies, product enhancements, product designs, processes, marketing strategies, product names, content or other creative materials.”
What you agree to by sending something
“If Ford has something in development similar to an idea that might be submitted from outside the Company, this can cause confusion about the origin of the idea.”
What it has bought from outside
2016
Chariot (commuter shuttles) from Chariot Transit Inc $65 million
“On September 9, 2016, Ford CEO Mark Fields announced that the Ford Motor Company would be acquiring Chariot Transit Inc via their subsidiary Ford Smart Mobility for $65 million.…” en.wikipedia.org
2018
Spin (e-scooters) from Spin (dockless bike/scooter startup)
“With the expiration of Seattle's bikeshare pilot program permit, Spin decided not to seek a new permit with the city and ceased its operations there in September 2018.…” en.wikipedia.org
Other companies that take an invention or product idea
