Industrial Development Engineering Associates (IDEA)

Industrial Development Engineering Associates was formed as a radio engineering consulting firm in Indianapolis, IN in 1945. The Regency Division signed an agreement in 1954 to manufacture a miniature transistor radio based on Texas Instruments transistors. Regency engineer Dick Koch modified the TI design for mass production. About 100,000 Regency TR-1 pocket radios were sold at $49.95 each before the company abandoned the business due to low profit margins.