As discussed in our
previous posts, startups are about capitalizing on ideas,
contacts and experience. In the early stages of a startup or
pre-startup, founders often socialize their business plan and
details about their idea to receive feedback, recruit talent, and
obtain funding. However, founders may naturally feel uncomfortable
disclosing their plans and ideas to others. Will others protect the
startup's confidential information, or will they use the idea
for their own benefit? Could disclosing the idea impact the
startup's own IP rights?
In this post, we will discuss some risks due to disclosing your
idea, common scenarios that founders face, and practical ways to
minimize the risks due to publicly disclosing the startup's
solution while preserving the startup's IP rights.
