Coming up with a brilliant idea for a business, product, or service can be an amazing feeling. It is natural to want to move forward quickly and do whatever you can to get your idea off the ground, but it is important to be cautious and protect your intellectual property. Taking the proper measures will help ensure that you have time to develop your ideas without anyone else unlawfully using them. While taking the steps to protect your intellectual property may take some time, doing so is essential if you want to launch your idea and ensure that no one else profits off of what is yours. Use the following tips to protect your intellectual property:
Make Sure Your Idea is Actually Original
Before you put too much time into developing your idea and starting up a business, it is very important to make sure that your idea is actually original and unique. An easy way to do this is by searching for patents and trademarks that have already been filed that may be similar to what you have come up with. Taking the time to research your idea and check that no one else is already working on the same thing will ensure that you have come up with something totally new and unique.
Consult an Intellectual Property Lawyer
After verifying that your idea is completely unique, your best bet is to consult with an intellectual property lawyer. An intellectual property lawyer will listen to your idea and then determine how to proceed. Depending on what your idea involves, the next step may be to file a patent, trademark, or copyright to protect your idea and ensure that no one else has the rights to use it. Your intellectual property lawyer can take care of all of the paperwork and documentation involved in filing for the form of protection that best suits your idea.
Use Non-Disclosure Agreements
As you get your new business up and running, you will need to hire employees and work with consultants and other experts. While you should always trust those who work for you or people that you're contracting with, you still need to protect yourself and your intellectual property. One of the best ways to do so is by requiring anyone associated with your new business to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). You can ask your intellectual property lawyer to draw up a non-disclosure agreement. After an NDA is signed, the signer is not allowed to discuss your ideas with others or use any of the information that they have learned about your business.
Share19 April 2019
