Patent Attorney and Founder
Fail fast. Fail often. That’s how you get better.
If you’re pitching your idea, don’t wait until you “feel ready.” You’ll never feel 100% ready. Most inventors are nervous when they start; that’s normal. The only way to build confidence is by putting yourself out there, making mistakes, and learning from them.
Once you’ve filed your patent application and you’re “patent pending,” you can talk about what you’ve filed. That’s your green light to start pitching and sharing.
Logos and ownership questions come up a lot. For example:
“If I design a logo for a clothing brand, do I get a one-time fee, or a percentage of each sale?”
Here’s the reality:
- You can contract anything. You could ask for 10%, 5%, or even 1% of each item sold.
- But in practice, that’s messy. You’d have to track every sale, chase payments, and manage accounting.
Most designers, and lawyers, prefer a cleaner route: a work-made-for-hire agreement. That means the client pays you upfront, you create the logo, and then transfer ownership to them. Simple. Standard. No headaches later.
Patent registration services, be careful here.
That phrase usually sets off alarm bells for me. Why? Because I’ve seen plenty of scams. They’ll promise to “list” your patent or trademark in some official-looking directory for hundreds of dollars. Sounds fancy, but it has zero legal effect.
Here’s what’s real:
- A patent attorney or agent can file your patent application and represent you before the USPTO.
- That’s it. There’s no “patent registration service” with a government seal of approval.
If you get a letter with a fancy logo and an eagle on it asking for money, it’s probably junk mail.
Getting funding once your patent is granted is the big question. Here are common paths:
- Your own savings, credit, or loans (boring, but reliable).
- Friends and family (they’ll believe in you if you believe in your invention).
- Competitions, pitch events, or local inventor meetups (great for exposure and connections).
- Investors, seed or series A rounds, once you have traction and a business plan.
If you’re raising money from friends, family, or investors, get a lawyer involved. You’ll want clean contracts to avoid ugly surprises later.
And don’t overlook small-batch manufacturing. Starting local can help you protect confidentiality, stay hands-on, and test the market before scaling big.
What about AI inventions?
If you’ve got an “AI ability idea,” first ask yourself: Can I describe it well enough that someone skilled in AI could build it? If yes, you may have an invention worth protecting.
Next steps:
- Run a prior art search to see if it’s truly new.
- File a provisional patent application before you share it publicly. That gives you “patent pending” status.
- When you move to a full application, pack in as much detail as possible.
As for investors, start local: university pitch days, city startup events, incubators, and meetups. Big city? There’s probably a “Startup [Your City]” event happening.
And remember, don’t wait until you’ve perfected your pitch. Just start. Failing in front of a room teaches you faster than hiding behind your notes.