It’s possible that LEGO introduced the Technic beam after seeing something similar in a clone brand, but without clear confirmation, it’s hard to say for sure. There have been cases where clone brands produced parts or designs before LEGO, but this isn't well-documented. LEGO typically leads in innovation, though clone brands sometimes introduce variations earlier. It’s an interesting observation, but we’d need more evidence to determine if LEGO co-opted the design in this case. Precedents do exist, but they're rare.