WE'VE MOVED!
We are proud to announce our NEW community destination. Engage with resident experts and fellow entrepreneurs, and learn everything you need to start your business. Check out the new home of StartupNation Community at startupnation.mn.co
We are proud to announce our NEW community destination. Engage with resident experts and fellow entrepreneurs, and learn everything you need to start your business. Check out the new home of StartupNation Community at startupnation.mn.co
I have a prototype but no more money...

What does a person do when they have built a working prototype but have no money for an attorney or a patent?
My fiancée and I are, like so many others these days, barely scraping by and we have sacrificed everything we could to build the initial prototype with the intention of doing nothing more than proving a theory. Now that they theory has been proven, we are spending what little we have to improve the prototype to make it "presentable"... Luckily, this won`t actually take much. Unfortunately, we don`t have the extra money to pay attorney`s fees, patent fees or anything else...
We have considered getting an NDA and talking to potential investors, but with our limited knowledge of NDA`s, we`re afraid of moving forward without solid protection... Thus the desire for an attorney...
What are our options?
My fiancée and I are, like so many others these days, barely scraping by and we have sacrificed everything we could to build the initial prototype with the intention of doing nothing more than proving a theory. Now that they theory has been proven, we are spending what little we have to improve the prototype to make it "presentable"... Luckily, this won`t actually take much. Unfortunately, we don`t have the extra money to pay attorney`s fees, patent fees or anything else...
We have considered getting an NDA and talking to potential investors, but with our limited knowledge of NDA`s, we`re afraid of moving forward without solid protection... Thus the desire for an attorney...
What are our options?
Sign In or Register to comment.
Comments
The library is free and you can educate yourself about patents and licenses.
I recommend "License Your Invention" by Richard Stim.
When you are ready to hire a lawyer you will be an educated consumer and get better service.
Remember 98% of patents don`t make enough many to pay the lawyers.
Knowledge is power.