Have a great idea?
One that urges immediate attention for fear of being pre-empted. This is the timing that inventing companies count on.
Remember none of the information they provide will help you obtain a patent and without a patent you have nothing. Slow down. Get realistic. Don’t make a move before some further steps are undertaken.
Take some time (could be months) for the idea to percolate. Investigate. Read the internet, avoid advertisements.
Often any “wishful thinking” aspect will recede. Next get the vital information, including names of persons if possible, on which companies are likely to buy your idea. Only at this point are you ready to go to work.
Begin work on obtaining a patent. There is a relatively new patent procedure that can save you lots of money.
Initially, instead of going for a full-blown patent which can be expensive (and, of course, there is no guarantee your idea will sell) you can get provisional patent protection which is much cheaper and that provides protection for your idea for one year.
Do as much research as you can before applying for a provisional patent because a provisional patent only lasts for only one year.
The odds are against you. I have yet to see any Invent Company publish what percentage of applicants even obtain a patent, much less make a sale.
However, you can at this point hire an Invention Company tho you will find it of limited value and not cheap.
I prefer to go it alone. My father and I between us own about 10 patents, two of which have earned respectable money.
Never give up. There is always a chance.
Good luck,
Theodore Theodorsen
Manhasset
