This did happen with the telephone.Alexander Bell lived in poverty for
years until one day he though "I know I'll give Watson a call" sometime later the
undulating frequency was born and soon after that the first phone bill was in the
post.
Next thing the telephone company in the States stole his idea and he had
nothing. thay had the money to market it and soon amde even more money off the idea.
As
things turned out he had the guts and determination to take it to court and eventually
he won the case. He was too ill to stand in court the day he won the case.
The
world was without phones for longer than was necessary and at the end of the day
it turned out that there was plenty of demand for the big company after all.
How
history repeats itself!