Patent Attorney and Founder
Great question! Do you need a patent before pitching to investors? Here’s the deal: you don’t have to have one, but you probably should.
I’m JD Houvener, the founder of Bold Patent Law Firm and a patent attorney. I’ve been helping inventors for over 11 years, and I’ve had the privilege of helping people secure nearly 500 patents. I’m also the author of Bold Ideas: The Inventor’s Guide to Patents. I’ve put together a special Bold Inventor Kit that you can check out below. It includes the full book, a PDF of Bold Ideas, and some helpful resources to get you up to speed with the latest in patent law.
Now, back to your question: In the U.S. and many other countries, there’s a one-year grace period after you publicly disclose or sell your invention. You’re safe as long as you file for a patent within that year. But—here’s the catch—once you’ve publicly shared your idea, that countdown starts ticking. If you’ve disclosed it in a way that’s publicly recorded or made available to others (like through a publication or a sale), then it counts as a public disclosure.
So, why should you file before pitching? Well, if you’ve got a patent application filed, you can talk about your invention in full detail without worrying about someone stealing your idea. Filing a patent, even a provisional one, locks in your filing date. This means if anyone else tries to patent the same idea, you’ll win because you filed first. The provisional patent protects your idea for 12 months, giving you time to tweak things as you move forward with your product.
Once you’ve filed that provisional patent, you’re free to pitch to investors, enter competitions, and show off your invention to the world. You’ll have a compelling story to tell, and having that patent application in place makes your pitch more solid. It also gives you confidence knowing you’ve got legal protection behind your idea.
In short, you don’t have to file a patent before pitching, but doing so can give you the protection and confidence you need to really make an impact. So, take the next step—check out the Bold Inventor Kit below and start your journey.
I’m JD Houvener, wishing you all the best on your invention journey. Go big, go Bold!