Should I File a Provisional Patent Application Before Submitting my Idea to Kickstarter?
Short answer YES YES YES… Of course you should… Here is why… The Provisional Application for Patent costs just $125 to file
Read this story about an invention on Kickstarter (or similar) without patent and IP protection.
As soon as a market success starts to become visible, the copiers/biggies will move-in.
Without patent[s], the copiers/biggies don’t even need to try designing around (and perhaps inventing an even better product).
They can quickly do an exact copy of your product.
Without trademarks/copyright/etc, they can do a 100% copy of your packaging, sales materials … anything/everything.
The copiers/biggies then use their size to drive your friend, who was boot-strapping & employing people, out of business.
So your friend absorbed all the risk and probably had many failures before finding a winning invention.
When (if) success started to occur, your friend was ripped-off by the waiting/observing copiers/biggies.
There is no need for the copiers/biggies to do R&D.
The copiers/biggies can watch your friend do the R&D and market development for free, & then just copy all winning inventions.
There are lots of “poachers” watching the Kickstarter types snooping for awesome ideas to copy and bring to market… It happens all the time!
So.. guys and gals.. DO NOT share your inventions with Kickstarter until you at least file a $125 Provisional Application for Patent!!
And soon there were no inventors, willing to be fooled again.
Possible Major Advantages of the Kickstarter type-model when using IP protection:
1) Reduces use/need for inventor & investor funds. You don’t give up equity. Customers provide funds & take the risk, on a loose-type of debt financing (your promise to deliver).
2) Customer/Market discovery & validation. You can discover if you have actual customers that are willing to pay a certain price for your invention, before expending the big $.
Reduces the probability of moving forward or building inventory, for an invention that no one may want. [although getting out & getting direct feedback is probably even more powerful, at least initially].
Guys and gals… You KNOW that you need some type of Patent Protection and the $125 Provisional Application for Patent!! gives you the “Patent Pending” the guys at the Shark Tank are looking for. They will not even want to talk to you unless you have some type of IP protection and the PPA is the PERFECT solution. You jest need to know HOW to file the $125 Provisional Application for Patent!! visit the link to see EXACTLY how to file one!
Should I File a Provisional Patent Application Before Submitting my Idea to Kickstarter?…
YES!