Does anyone have a legitimate name of an organization that specializes in assisting with invention ideas?

Question

I have several ideas and would like to communicate with any reputable organization that assists individuals in getting connected with the proper business to implement an idea especially since personal funding is limited.

Answer 1

Go to the public library and find out how to get patents. There most likely is a register of such organizations. You might even inquire of a patent attorney in your town.

Answer 2

Be careful of organizations that say they will assist you with invention ideas. Most if not all are scams. You shouldn't be paying for it. Your first step should be to file patents. You can file a provisional patent application with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (www.uspto.gov). The provisional application fee is around $100. It is important that you prepare the application in the proper way and with good attention to detail. There is a good book; "Patent it yourself" by Pressman. You may also want to have an attorney, experienced engineer and/or business professional in the area of your invention review it (if other than an attorney, have them sign a nondisclosure agreement first). The provisional application will give you 1 year before you need to file a full application. So, it doesn't replace the application, just delays the expense. Another consideration, have your ideas already been patented? Before you spend the considerable cost (typically 5 to 10 thousand $) for the full application by an attorney, you should search to see what other patents already exist. Again, you can do this yourself for free at the USPTO search site: http://www.uspto.gov/patft/index.html

You can also pay a patent attorney or agent to conduct a search, but that may cost several hundred to a few thousand depending on the area of your invention.

With your patent filed, you should do some networking to talk with industry experts and executives. This is probably the best way to get value from your inventions. Remember, until your patent application publishes make sure you have anyone sign a nondisclosure agreement before telling them about it. I recommend getting several perspectives as it is more an art that a science. An industry CEO, seasoned marketing executive, successful entrepreneur, and an experienced R&D engineer are a few examples of valuable but likely different perspectives on your best plan. Much depends on the type of product and markets that are involved.