Why do big companies not want to help novice engineers?

[kazan417]

I am so really need a scope that i tryed to  win in rohde & schwarz challenge and they pick my idea, but than they said - "hey you are not a campany, you can not participate our challenge".
I ask them - can they make excepcion for great idea? but they said NO we are promote just for companies!
This is so bad that big company does not want support beginner engineer who really needs their  professional gears. They send free instruments for other big companies, but they dont need free instruments, they can buy it if really need!!!
Morover last time so many companies cooperate to one giant company. For example intel buy altera and now this is 1 company. And of cource this big companies does not want to cooperate with beginner engineer. TI stop sending free samples to individuals.
And this is so bad, but who hear me?
Do you agree with me that large companies should support novice electronic engineers? Lets discuss it on the forum.

[Brumby]

When a manufacturer sends free equipment to a business, it is for one purpose only - to get that business to purchase multiple units from them.

It is sometimes the case where educational institutions may get a good deal so that the students will get familiar with that manufacturer's equipment and (hopefully) provide some influence in future purchase recommendations of a company they work for - or even for their own personal use.

You aren't going to do that as an individual, so if they give you a free one, then they've put out one unit with zero return potential.

It's simple economics.

[BNElecEng]

I've personally benefited from "Big Companies" thanks to an internship programme , where I received world class training for free. Without that experience I would not have the job that I do now. They had no idea about who I was or what I might bring to the table, but they gave me a chance anyway.

This is something you might consider doing, as they can be very supportive of any ideas you may have. The goal of a company is to make money, so if you are able to help them with that, then you'll find that many doors are opened for you.

[Rerouter]

Free samples of small parts - That I can get behind as long as its not abused, I have never used such a service, but as a EE, you tend to build up common building blocks of parts that you then keep recycling forward into new projects, So there is a good chance of a forward return. As a company I have tried to request paid samples of parts, and the moment they started throwing NDA's my way i found another option. Its all about reputation, E.g. a supplier that was painful to deal with, I will likely from now on go out of my way to avoid them. Whereas a hobbiest getting your hands on 2 $5 chips that otherwise are MOQ of 500, may lead you to using them even when its a little out of your way.

Free hardware though, generally for personal use has almost no forward return, If you give a high series scope to a beginner, not only are they likely to require more support than a business, but Its unlikely they are able to buy the accessories for it, or upgrade it anytime in the next 5 years, meaning if you get a higher end job, your input on a few years old scope may not carry very well, while that IC they gave you will still likely be available for the next 5 years due to other agreements.

[kazan417]

Completely agree with Rerouter - E.g. a supplier that was painful to deal with, I will likely from now on go out of my way to avoid them.
They started throwing NDA's  Seriosly! NDA for buying?!
But you know aquiring one companies by others is continuing, and maybe in the future - when stay 1  big company we all must sign NDA. So sad!
Linear technology freely sends their samples without problems, and of course i chose their IC's. Now i always using LT parts and buy them in local store!
But now is is aquired by AD, maybe now they will stop sending samples.

I understand that simply donating a device they will not get anything, but exclude from the challenge because you are not a company I consider a bad example.
Also, it's disappointing that TI does not send free samples of chips to individual developers. I do not ask for a development kit, I am just asking for 1 IC to test its capabilities and potentially applying this IC in new mass production device.

[Nusa]

All I can suggest is checking the rules of the challenge to see if they allowed individuals to participate. If they do indeed limit the eligibility up front, then you can't really complain about their ruling.

[kazan417]

Yes, they limit eligibility! I am complaining about why? This is not a question about 1 challenge. This is a question of attitude towards individual developers by some companies.
Some companis thinks if you are not a company - you are nothing!!
Some companies greatly deal with individuals. But after some time those who deal with individuals greatly aquired by others big bad companies and change their policy.
What we can do? Work more for being company with name and respect and than they will talk to us?! 

[BNElecEng]

You could always register yourself as a business, thus bypassing that part of the requirement.

[mikeselectricstuff]

You could always register yourself as a business, thus bypassing that part of the requirement.

In many cases simply making up a company name is all you need.
Different countries will vary but in the UK You can, for example call yourself "Fred Bloggs trading as Megabloggs Industries" and use Megabloggs Industries as a company name without needing to register anything.

[kazan417]

In many cases simply making up a company name is all you need.
Different countries will vary but in the UK You can, for example call yourself "Fred Bloggs trading as Megabloggs Industries" and use Megabloggs Industries as a company name without needing to register anything.

In our country(Russia) and many others not so easy. We have central goverment register of all companies in country  and companies like rodhe & schwarz have access to this register. If you will call yourself "Fred Bloggs trading as Megabloggs Industries" without actually having this company you will get permament block from rodhe & schwarz(or others) by ip, email,etc.
If you want actually register company you must pay to the insurance fund, pension fund and tax more bigger than as individual.
Morover if you call yourself as existing company but not yours it will be a serious crime!

[james_s]

The issue with the free samples is that word got around and then far too many people started abusing the system, using it to get loads of free parts to play with. On the other hand, companies that were willing to send me a few bits and pieces to play with in my personal projects are companies that I keep in mind and use their parts when possible.