Starting a new business

[Celia2]

California

Hi,
I have invented a new way of doing outdoor and indoor display signs and billboards for which the full patent application is already being processed in the US and Europe. I have made several 30 second 3D computer animations that show the invention very well.

I am trying to decide on the business plan.

1) Do I generate an infomercial CD with an introduction to the invention with samples on the CD and send it to the top 100 marketing and advertising companies in the US.

2) Do I contact possible client companies one by one and ask them to sign an NDA before we show them the invention? What do we do if they refuse to sign the NDA? Do we just go ahead and still show them the invention and hope for the best?

3) Say, we are being very professional and ask the prospective client company to sign an NDA and they accept. They like the idea and they ask us to build one for them on top of thier two story building that is located next to the freeway. Great, we sold one. The display is being viewed by a 1000 people an hour all of whom did not sign an NDA. What happens next?

If your client came to you with the above, what would you generically advise them to do in this case or in any other case that involves an invention that could not be kept secret if marketed.

If you need me to explain the situation further, please let me know.
Thanks
Celia

 

[Celia2]

Any input

I know that it would not be a straight forward answer, but I thought that some one would have any kind on input even if it was based on experience

 

[east beach]

Florida. You can operate with the assumption that EVERYONE and their brother will try to steal your idea. That being understood, you can proceed. The one-by-one approach will give you the most control over who sees your product, and you can go after anyone that tries to steal the idea. But it may be more attractive to do a mass release of your product to everyone and ride the wave that comes. It would be harder to stop the rip-off artists doing it this way. Having the patent protection in place would be key for this approach. My advice: don't show ANYONE your idea without legal protection- either a very specific and strong NDA, or Patent. Even with legal protection, keep a close eye out for theft and move quickly to suppress them.