I’ve been told that Companies stay away from non-patented ideas. Is that true?
Companies are frequently subjected to frivolous lawsuits brought by individuals and attorneys looking for a “windfall” at the Company’s expense. These suits frequently happen because an individual or a company claims they had the unprotected idea prior to being introduced to it by the idea seller, or because other individuals come forward after the company has purchased the idea, claiming they had it first! Those creating ideas are afraid that unscrupulous companies will steal their ideas, and companies are afraid unscrupulous individuals will subject them to lawsuits. As a result, an attitude of distrust exists. What could be a “win-win” situation becomes “lose-lose” instead. Companies believe that if the individual has a patent, trademark, or copyright, the ownership of the idea is established. In a world moving as fast as ours, the timeframe for moving ideas to completion will certainly accelerate. In order for more people to bring forth more ideas, their investment must be nominal,
