Getting invention out there

wicklaman83

Myself and a friend has came up with a bit of invention.it might be something or it might be nothing.
Can anyone tell me if there is someone i can send this idea to that can make it and maybe advise if its worth putting it on the market.
I was also told it would be worthwhile going to a solicitor and getting it copyrighted before i send it to any companies.can anyone advise on this please

ambro25

darren254 wrote: »

Can anyone tell me if there is someone i can send this idea to that can make it and maybe advise if its worth putting it on the market.

Some companies have been advertising these services for years. Generally, they're very good at extracting 4 or 5 figure sums out of you, for just about nothing in return (no protection, no proof of concept, no marketing...just a few mailing lists and letters patting you on the back). The web is replete with testimonials of private inventors that have been shafted so, therefore avoid them.

darren254 wrote: »

I was also told it would be worthwhile going to a solicitor and getting it copyrighted before i send it to any companies.can anyone advise on this please

You already own the copyright in any documents you have authored about that invention. Copyright is an automatic right, you cannot 'get' anything 'copyrighted' (well, I suppose you could rubber-stamp at the US Library of Congress, and that's about the extent of it).

I believe you might have been told to consider applying for a patent covering your invention. For that, you need to look for, and go see, a 'patent attorney', to find out whether your invention can be protected at all, by a patent and/or another form of IP (e.g. registered designs).

Applying for commercially-useful patent rights (in Ireland alone, never mind in other countries) is not cheap (4 figures, 5 figures or more if other countries required), takes a long time (years) and a hefty bit of commitment. And that's just the protection/IP side of things, never mind taking the invention to market successfully (which is a lot harder than the patent/IP side of things).

From experience, potential investors won't even take a look in until and unless you have at least pending IP rights (more generally, until and unless you have proof of concept, pending international IP rights and a solid business plan).

TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan

First stop for you is the local enterprise board, they should be able to help.

Dutchie

Hi Darren,
I am currently in the process of getting patent approval on a product concept I have designed.

PM me if you want more info.

Best of Luck

wildwest1

I have made a few one off designs, I always had to sign a non-disclosure agreement before we started. Not sure but this may be a option for you aswell. Good Luck