Call him the mad scientist.
Steve Spangler, who has entertained and educated Colorado TV audiences with science tricks for years, is suing a Seattle company he says stole his product concepts.
Spangler sued Scientific Explorer Inc. in federal court in Denver this week, claiming the company is selling repackaged and renamed science-education kits that he developed.
The two had a licensing agreement under which the Seattle company manufactured and sold a variety of Spangler’s kits. The agreement expired in August 2004 and wasn’t renewed, according to Spangler’s complaint.
Spangler says that late last year he saw a product that closely resembled one of his kits for sale at the airport in Salt Lake City. He bought the Scientific Explorer product and opened it on the plane to Denver.
He says he was dismayed to find that, despite new packaging and a new name, the kit was the same as one he had designed and licensed to Scientific Explorer under the expired agreement.
“I saw my product on the shelf, but it wasn’t my product,” he said. “An idea is almost like a child. You create it and watch it grow and then it evolves into something great. When all of a sudden you see that idea in another place … it’s frustrating.”
According to Spangler’s suit, Scientific Explorer has renamed and repackaged his “Test Tube Dinos” kit and is now selling it as “Growing Giant Dinos.” Another, “Fizz, Bobble, Erupt,” is being sold as “Bubbling Potions”; “Extreme Glow” as “Atomic Glow”; and “Crazy Crystals” as “Wild Crystals,” Spangler alleges.
Scientific Explorer owner Bill Rives said Thursday that he did not know about the suit and couldn’t comment.
Rives formed Scientific Explorer in 1993 with his wife, Susan. The company has developed science kits for the Smithsonian Institution and sells through outlets such as the Discovery Channel Store and The Nature Company. It has won numerous national awards.
Scientific Explorer’s products typically sell at retail for $12 to $20.
Spangler says Scientific Explorer approached him about licensing his ideas in 2001. They entered an agreement in August of that year, under which Scientific Explorer would manufacture, package, market and sell several of his products. Spangler was to receive a 10 percent royalty on sales each quarter.
Spangler alleges in his complaint that Scientific Explorer did not pay the royalties for the past two quarters of the agreement’s term.
Spangler appears as a science-education specialist weekly on 9News’ morning and afternoon newscasts. He sells his own kits and other science-related products through a website and a catalog delivered to 500,000 teachers nationwide. His company, Englewood-based Steve Spangler Inc., employs 15.
He also is a national speaker and science-curriculum specialist with Littleton Public Schools.
Staff writer Greg Griffin can be reached at 303-820-1241 or ggriffin@denverpost.com.
