The best place to start would be call up the potential manufacturers and ask them if they look at new technologies or inventions for potential licensing. Some long standing industries with very few players are very difficult industries to licence in.

If actually pitching the technology, you should have IP and I recommend filing a provisional patent which gives a year of patent pending status. Also if you qualify as a micro entity, the PPA filing fee is only $65.

This allows you to pitch to companies with a provisional patent and find out the level of interest prior to investing in the much more costly non provisional patent.