DF Bluem - Patent licensing | IP licensing | Patent marketing | Invention marketing | Licensing company - Leeds, UK

DF Bluem Infomation Hub - Leeds, UK

Invention Help Companies

Unfortunately, there are several ‘invention companies’ whose sole purpose is to defraud you of your hard-earned money. They’ll make all sorts of promises but provide absolutely nothing of value in return for the money you have paid.

So if you're in the market for invention support, it’s essential to differentiate between legitimate firms that can genuinely assist and fraudulent entities whose primary aim is to exploit your aspirations.

Here's how to distinguish the good from the bad.

Promises to License or Sell Your Idea

Firstly, ideas by themselves cannot be sold or licensed. If a company claims they can license or sell your idea, they are likely misleading you.

Consider this, if you were in the market to buy a new car, would you spend thousands of pounds just for a picture? Of course not! You'd want to see it, test drive it and make sure it's right for you before agreeing to the purchase. So why do so many inventors assume that potential buyers, manufacturers, licensees and investors are any different ?

Legitimate firms only market meticulously refined market-ready products. Why, because that's what the target audience demands to see. No samples to test and assess fit-for-purpose = no point.

Vanity Visualisations and Design Boards

Photo-realistic renditions are an essential tool throughout the development pipeline and are used to assess the visual aspect of a product, design, developments and iterations. They are also used in marketing material when the product for sale has been finalised.

Unfortunately, there are certain companies who create vanity visuals and design boards, giving a false impression that completed design and development work has been carried out. Whilst they may look impressive, the reality is, they are merely ornamental images aiming to dazzle and hold minimal to no practical commercial value.

All potential buyers, licensees or stakeholders will invariably demand to see a physical product to test and assess fit-for-purpose – which necessitates the application of real-world commercial design strategies.

Photo-realistic renditions = come back when your market-ready !

Vague Credentials and Experience

Anyone can talk a good game and you should question anyone who uses words such as “our vast experience, extensive knowledge” when their age suggests this cannot be the case. The landscape of commercial product development isn't typically navigated by the young. It demands years of dedicated practice to hone the necessary skills, accumulate expertise, and amass the knowledge essential to deliver tangible outcomes. In this arena, substantial experience and verifiable credentials hold the key to success.

When engaging service providers, it's crucial you inquire about the volume of projects they handle and successfully complete each year. This industry goes beyond superficial aesthetics (a task easily undertaken by fresh design graduates). Its essence lies in the creation of solutions that precisely address intricate needs, requirements, and expectations. Achieving this objective is not a swift undertaking; rather, it necessitates a synergistic collaboration across various disciplines, requiring both time and collective effort. Countless online reviews

Over-reliance on Positive Online Reviews

While it might be tempting to rely on numerous positive online reviews as an assurance of a service provider's credibility, it’s wise to delve deeper into the content and context of these endorsements. Take, for instance, positive appraisals centred solely on preliminary interactions. Expressions like 'appreciate the swift information pack delivery,' 'received the informational material promptly,' or 'excellent content in the info pack' should be examined critically. These commendations primarily reflect the efficiency of the administrative team rather than the prowess of the development unit. Likewise, exercise caution when evaluating reviews posted subsequent to the presentation of elaborate design visualisations. Although these visualisations might be visually striking, they hold limited commercial viability in most instances. Regrettably, the reviewer might not be aware of this limitation at the time of composing the review.

The truth

Questionable firms will never tell you the brutal and honest truth. To them every project is amazing and should be pursued. If any company merely praises your project and offers no or very little constructive criticism etc etc, you need to proceed with caution.

Patent Searches and Drafting

While offering patent services isn’t inherently fraudulent, ensure the provider is qualified. Comprehensive patent searches should analyse prior art and assess the viability of securing exclusive rights.

What invention marketing companies tend to do, is carry out a pretty basic search, which in most cases turns up nothing or very little. They do not analyse the data or provide guidance in response. After all, the last thing they want is to find a similar idea. As mentioned above, these companies have no incentive to tell an inventor when their idea isn’t viable because they make all their money upfront.

If a patent search does no uncover any prior art, most probably they are lying to you. A professional patent search will always turn up prior art.

Costs and Fees

If you're genuinely committed to advancing your new product idea invention, it’s going to cost you money. The extent of the cost hinges on the specifics of your project and the approach you adopt.

Unfortunately, there are businesses and individuals out there, who will take money from you and deliver nothing of real value. e.g. businesses who will market your invention for £2000.00 (which is impossible). Similarly, there are designers who will offer to build you a website or produce packaging for a few hundred. Only for the outcomes to fall drastically short of acceptable standards. Every penny you spend needs to deliver a result and boost your project forward.

Any firm that offers to take your idea and license / sell it for an upfront free should be questioned. Legitimate licensing firms will almost always work on a commission basis, which means they get paid only when you get paid.

The Agreement

It goes without saying, engaging anyone to work on your behalf requires an agreement / contract that lays down the terms of business. What's to be done, the rights and obligations of both parties, remunerations, termination rights etc etc.

Agreements provided by questionable firms tend to lack detail, are open to interpretation and include general statements such as ‘we will market the invention to a list of retailers…’ - ’you agree to pay us a royalty rate of X…’

Legitimate agreements outline specific deliverables, marketing strategies, and performance expectations.

Summary

Protecting your invention requires diligence. Be wary of companies that :