Product Development Connection - patent, trademark, and product development services

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Product Development Connection provides inventor services in Northern Ontario (including Sudbury, North Bay, and Parry Sound).

Intellectual Property and Product Development - Product Development Connection

At Product Development Connection (PDC), our primary responsibility is to help inventors make informed decisions.

If you are an inventor with a brilliant idea, please read the below, and take it to heart.

Product Development Realities

Many brilliant ideas can not be patented, usually because they have previously been patented, the improvement is obvious, or they do not fulfill patent office requirements.

The idea is just the first step on a very long road. Turning an idea into a successful product usually takes years.

Developing a successful product requires money and lots of it. Patent protection, research and development, design and prototyping, manufacturing and marketing are just some of the expenses.

At every stage of product development, there are signs that may indicate that a project is no longer worth pursuing. Be prepared to cut your losses and move on. Retirement and savings funds, homes, relationships and more have been lost by obsessed inventors pursuing ideas that were not profitable. Don't be that person!

First Steps

The first step is to meet with your PDC agent. After signing a non-disclosure/confidentiality agreement, PDC can help you decide if your product qualifies to move to the next step, the patent search.

The patent search is a key step that will give an indication as to the likelihood of getting patent approval.

To schedule a free initial consultation with a PDC agent, email or call 705-929-6013.

Please Note:
New product development is a complicated topic. With each new invention comes a new set of rules and no one person can perform all the important yet daunting tasks. Introducing a new product to market is also very risky business, in that there are no guarantees, no promises, and especially, no free rides.

A number of "invention submission firms" (ISF) promote and even promises an "easy as 1, 2, 3" "program" yet, to date have no success stories to back this up! As an inventor, there are things that you should know about this industry prior to jumping into your proposed venture:

Let's face it, many inventors do not have the knowledge and experience to work alone, and these ISFs prey on this fact, as they count on it to lure you into what you may be led to believe is a great opportunity. BEWARE OF THESE PROMISES.
ISFs that have to resort to expensive television advertisings or the like can be a good sign that their referral network is not in good shape. Referrals from word-of-mouth or those supported by reference checks are still today the very best reassurance that the firm in question is legitimate.
ALWAYS do background checks on the companies or individuals with which you intend to work in confidence. This cannot be overemphasized! An ISF should be more than willing and able to provide you with references upon request. Do make those calls!
Too often, good inventions are swept out of your control, as the inventor; it is sometimes difficult to regain your rights without a costly legal battle.