Vital Information

Each year thousands of new consumer products are offered in the marketplace, many of them patented and developed by individual inventors or small firms. Each new product idea has gone through a series of steps in the patent process to ensure that it can be patented and becomes a great success. The patent process can be a complicated, so it helps to have an experienced product development team helping you through patenting and developing your idea.

Stage 1- Initial patenting assessment

A patent is one of a variety of ways to protect an idea so it can be sold to industry or developed and put on the market. Each idea is unique and so Innovate offers a free initial patenting assessment which will help determine whether it is worth proceeding with your idea and the most appropriate form of idea protection.

Request an information pack to start this process by clicking here: Free Patent Info Pack Alternatively click here to download a confidentiality agreement & an idea submission form

To read more about the initial patenting assessment click here.

Stage 2 - Is the idea original?

If patenting is the best route to protect your idea, the next step would be to complete a global patent search. If the idea has already been patented anywhere in the world it is best to find out as soon as possible. Innovate can organise a patent search and provide a report of all similar intellectual property and advice on understanding the implications of the results.

For more information on the importance of a professional patent search click here: Worldwide Patent Search

If patenting is not the best route to protect your idea or if you already have a patent on your idea then we will advise on the best way to proceed.

Stage 3 - Concept Development

It would be prudent to have two things in place before trying to sell your idea to industry or secure further investment:

• 1. A professional product presentation to impress and interest a potential manufacturer.
• 2. Idea Protection so no one can copy your idea. (Patent and/or a registered design)

This is where Innovate's team of experienced product designers can help the inventor by turning a rough sketch into a professional looking market ready product. Computer aided design is used to style the product and determine how it is going to work. Any issues are resolved, manufacturing techniques are considered and materials are selected to produce a final design for the idea. This virtual prototype is then presented on A3 boards illustrating the product in the environment it is going to be used and where necessary it is pictured with the user to instantly convey the idea to industry.

When presenting your idea to a company you often only get one chance so it pays to get the presentation right at this stage.

The drawings created during the design stage can then be used in the patent application. The design stage the idea often develops and sometimes new intellectual property is created for the inventor and so it is often wise to apply for the patent after the design work has been completed. There maybe aspects of the design that should be included in the description that forms part of the patent application.

Stage 4 - Protect the Idea

The information from the patent search will help to establish the best way to proceed with a patent application. This might involve working with one of our partner patent agents who offers our clients preferential rates that are substantially less than most commercial patent agents. Alternatively it might be possible to self file, using the information from the patent search, and our guidance.

For more information on the patent application process click here: Patent Application

To find out more about the UK Patent Office click here: UK Patent Office

The idea can now be presented to industry or investors as you have an industry standard presentation and idea protection.

Once stage 4 has been completed the inventor has two options:

Option 1: Work with a company with experience in the relevant product area to produce and market the product. This would involve a licensing agreement to be negotiated so the inventor would be paid a royalty fee for each product sold. Innovate provides the inventor with everything they need to help them through the process of presenting their idea to industry. We believe the individual inventor is far better placed to promote their idea to industry themselves rather than any paid representative and this is where we differ from invention marketing companies.

Below is a very rough approximation of the royalty payment paid to the inventor:

• 1. 1.Idea only: 0.5% - 1% of factory gate price (wholesale price not customer retail price)
• 2. 1.Developed product plus patent applied or granted: 3% - 4%
• 3. Developed product plus prototype and patent applied or granted: 4% - 10%

Option 2: Raise capital to start company to bring the product to market. This will include: Engineering design for mass manufacture, production, distribution and marketing. Innovate works with a partner company to support inventors who choose this option. This can be a more financially rewarding option but involves more capital and determination from the inventor. Contact us for more information.

To start this process click here to request a free info pack: Free Patent Info Pack

Alternatively click here to download a Confidentiality Agreement and an Idea Submission Form

"Proof of Principle" Prototype.

Sometimes a working prototype may be necessary to convey the idea and provide proof that the idea works. Innovate can advise whether this would be necessary for your specific idea. For more information on prototyping click here: Invention Prototype

For a printable pdf of this page click here To get in touch Contact Us Here

Free Idea review!