How to protect an idea.

[redflag5050]

Hello and thanks in advance for any help offered.

I have had a couple of ideas swirling around in my head for a couple of years but have always been hesitant to speak to someone about for fear of them being stolen. Is there a cheap way to protect an idea from theft . A patent is abhorrently expensive and the "inventors kit" that are around, I am unfamiliar with. Do you guys have any ideas about how to protect this idea before approaching someone in the industry the idea is suitable for? One idea is for the packaging industry with tremendous need and appeal and the other one would be of great interest to none other than the behemoth Google !



Thanks again.

[onlineharvest]

Hello and thanks in advance for any help offered.

I have had a couple of ideas swirling around in my head for a couple of years but have always been hesitant to speak to someone about for for fear of them being stolen. Is there a cheap way to protect an idea from theft . A patent is abhorrently expensive and the "inventors kit" that are around, I am unfamiliar with. Do you guys have any ideas about how to protect this idea before approaching someone in the industry the idea id suitable for? One idea is for the packaging industry with tremendous need and appeal and the other one would be of great interest to none other than the behemoth Google !



Thanks again.

Have you had a discussion with a patent lawyer? This can be a very delicate matter to deal with, and who knows, if these people did a search they find something already exists, is already in patent process, etc. And if not, I would think, if this is a legitimate idea that has value to an industry, or a large multinational corporation, that you may find the only alternative is to speak with experts who can advise on how to best protect your idea.

[yahi]

you could use an NDA if you want to chat and stay protected. Here is a free NDA generator site: https://www.ournda.com

goodluck!

[slavka012]

Hello and thanks in advance for any help offered.

I have had a couple of ideas swirling around in my head for a couple of years but have always been hesitant to speak to someone about for fear of them being stolen. Is there a cheap way to protect an idea from theft . A patent is abhorrently expensive and the "inventors kit" that are around, I am unfamiliar with. Do you guys have any ideas about how to protect this idea before approaching someone in the industry the idea is suitable for? One idea is for the packaging industry with tremendous need and appeal and the other one would be of great interest to none other than the behemoth Google

Mods should create a sticky FAQ to these kind of questions.
1. forget the word "steal". There is nothing to steal, you've got nothing. Yes, idea is nothing. Idea can't be owned, can't be sold.
2 there is no way around patent as far as protection goes. Patent is something, it can sold, it can be owned. If it is too expensive, tough luck.
3. NDA is useless, see #1
4. Google does not buy ideas, they buy technology (in the form of companies). So, you want to sell to google, start a company.
5. In fact, nobody buys ideas. Why? See #1
6. Really, it is so typical that one worries so much about idea being stolen that it stops them from doing anything at all.

[JeiJei]

Let me put it this way, unless it's something highly original AND technical, don't go the patent route.

Also, an idea without execution is only what it is, an idea.

No matter how awesome it might sound in your head and possibly in real-world application, if you don't have the resource and ability to execute the idea, the idea is useless.

IMHO, find someone in the field that might understand your idea and has the ability to execute it. And maybe work out a partnership with that person/s. If you guys can get it somewhere, it might not be too late to file for patent by then.

[Purgatory]

Turn your idea into a product and then patent/trademark it.

Thats the route I would take..

[xserverfd]

Mods should create a sticky FAQ to these kind of questions.
1. forget the word "steal". There is nothing to steal, you've got nothing. Yes, idea is nothing. Idea can't be owned, can't be sold.
2 there is no way around patent as far as protection goes. Patent is something, it can sold, it can be owned. If it is too expensive, tough luck.
3. NDA is useless, see #1
4. Google does not buy ideas, they buy technology (in the form of companies). So, you want to sell to google, start a company.
5. In fact, nobody buys ideas. Why? See #1
6. Really, it is so typical that one worries so much about idea being stolen that it stops them from doing anything at all.

What he/she said.

[mackb1991]

Don’t worry about people stealing your ideas. If your ideas are any good, you’ll have to ram them down people’s throats.
- Howard Aiken

[screeech]

Mods should create a sticky FAQ to these kind of questions.
1. forget the word "steal". There is nothing to steal, you've got nothing. Yes, idea is nothing. Idea can't be owned, can't be sold.
2 there is no way around patent as far as protection goes. Patent is something, it can sold, it can be owned. If it is too expensive, tough luck.
3. NDA is useless, see #1
4. Google does not buy ideas, they buy technology (in the form of companies). So, you want to sell to google, start a company.
5. In fact, nobody buys ideas. Why? See #1
6. Really, it is so typical that one worries so much about idea being stolen that it stops them from doing anything at all.

This!

Patents protect a process or methodology, not ideas per say, and ultimately it's only enforceable if you have the resources to do so, so if you're willing to sue and have the cash to do so.

Slavaka012 is 110% correct. If you have something great, then start a company. Nobody buys ideas...

[champdood]

Don’t worry about people stealing your ideas. If your ideas are any good, you’ll have to ram them down people’s throats.
- Howard Aiken

Exactly the quote I was thinking about. No one cares about ideas that aren't successful. It's very unlikely your idea is so incredibly unique in itself, really it needs to be fully developed into a product to see it's cons and pros, then have the cons ironed out, improve it and bring a marketable product. If it's simply an idea on how google can do something better, you might as well just tell them, you're not going to make money out of it (unless they give you a job)