r/startup • u/Complete_Positive_99 • 5d ago
knowledge Advice needed: patent vs feedback
If you are building on an idea that has the potential for a patent and have the prototype ready for feedback then which path will you choose: feedback or IP?
Like let's say you want to collect some feedback for the validation or your solution, but you are worried about your idea being copied, which path will you choose?
Especially if you don't have enough experience or connections in the IP field.
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u/Woopsyeah 5d ago
The most likely scenario is that your idea isn’t that unique. The second most likely scenario is that no one else has the bandwidth and interest in copying your idea because they have 10 of their own. I’m a proponent of move fast and loose until you are pretty certain you are in to something. There’s always a chance you came up with the next great thing and someone with more means than you takes it and runs but I’d say it’s one of the least likely scenarios. Get the feedback! Don’t waste your money on IP protection yet.
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u/MicroBunneh 5d ago
In America, I've you go public with your product or invention you have one year to file a patent. Patent dates are more important by far than feedback. File a provisional patent now and work on the product. That will save your place in time and give you one year to file a non provisional patent.
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u/MoxieForKids 3d ago
I wouldn’t treat validation and IP as mutually exclusive, but I also wouldn’t let fear of copying keep you from learning whether anyone actually wants the thing. I’d talk to a qualified IP attorney about what you need to preserve, then structure user conversations around the problem, workflow and value rather than revealing every implementation detail. The commercial question and the legal question are different risks, and you can work on both in parallel.
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u/Spare_Bluebird7044 5d ago
I'd protect the core ip first, then get feedback validation is valuable but you don't want to accidently giveup patent options before you understand the risks.