Where would we be without inventors? You wouldn’t be sitting in that chair you’re currently slouching in, or cringing under that hideously bright light illuminating your surroundings. Inventions are all around us, but what about the individuals behind these inventions?
The right idea at the right time can bring astronomical wealth, and this list of successful inventors ranks the top 15. From Crocs to Colt handguns, dynamite to Dyson vacuum cleaners, the most lucrative ideas are all here, and some of the results are surprising.
Benjamin Franklin may well have proven that lightning contained electricity, and forever shaped the modern world, but his life’s wealth has nothing on Michele Ferrero, inventor of the indulgent Ferrero Rocher. Then again, if trapped on a desert island, which would you pick?
The right idea at the wrong time can likewise cut you short of your due fortunes, and so we’ve also included a selection of very successful inventors who were denied significant royalties for their world-changing work.
The greatest of these is probably Sir Tim Berners-Lee, who invented the World Wide Web. Without him we’d not be able to offer you up our wide range of adorable cuckoo clocks, and you certainly wouldn’t be reading this blog!
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