Why so much concern over intellectual property?

[Jared O'Toole]

One of the questions I get asked often is "How will my idea be protected on your site?". Now my response is always "it simply won't be".

1. Either spill all because you think the feedback is more important then someone possibly "stealing" your idea.

2. Spill what you can but don't give away the secrets that truly make your idea remarkable.

I don't believe "stealing" ideas should ever be a big concern except for truly new products or if your idea is somehow just a completely remarkable service.

Most ideas are just built on something else or are out there but aren't being done right or you think you can do it better. Also if you are serious about your idea there will come a point when you will have to tell many people. Maybe on your hunt for investors, beta testing, or just overall promotion.

I think that the early stage feedback is way more important then the security of your idea. This helps get it right the first time rather then realize that the idea you just put your heart and sole into for a year isn't that popular.

In the end it comes down to what you do not what that person who decided to make a quasi-similar site to yours is doing.

Any thoughts???

[Nascent Dynamics ( )]

You give some good advice Jared,

Some people have the organization, skills, and financial backing in their idea to execute an idea privately so their release has a competitive advantage. However, I also think most people do not fall into this class and far too many good ideas are not capitalized. Today, with the technology and social networking capabilities available, it just may be worthwhile to share your ideas as you suggest. In particular, sharing the idea may be the one way to cause things to fall in place for you and actually make the idea a realistic possibility.

I'm a big fan of MIT Open CourseWare. One of the most prestigious educational institutions in the country is making most of their curriculum available to the world online- for free. It's counter-intuitive to the standard practice of protecting the intellectual capital and charging for its acquisition. However, in MIT's case, you'd need to be educated just to keep up with what they are doing on the cutting-edge. Plus, many of the problems and challenges of industry today are a result of poor education and limitted access. Open CourseWare is one of their innovations to provide a solution to society- it adds value to the education you could get by going there and is rewriting the rules of engagement creating more opportunities for advancement.

Some people at the forefront are beginning to use the term, "transparency". In order to compete in the emerging dynamics of modern business, the increasing rate of complexity, etc, transparency in an organization or development from concept to materialization is going to be key. The best ideas are yet to come out. Chances are they are going to be coming from the individual perspective rather than the corporate mechanism. Big business is struggling to keep up with change and they are starting to orient to closer personal relationships with their markets for the sake of improved loyalty, customer satisfaction, and real-time connection with evolving demand.

There is so much room for improvement and people are starting to realize they don't have to limit their choices for what they want to what is available. Instead, people are starting to look at this from the standpoint of what they really want and want to see better to their own standards. Getting your idea out there for others to consider can get you the real-time and objective feedback that is right up there with insitutional research and development. I will not be too surprised to see businesses that do have the resources to carry through projects looking for the next great idea. The best time to invest is right there at the beginning. If they miss out on that opportunity, then watch how some of these start to materialize by self-organizing social networking to the enterprise level.

The question is still out there and the risks for piracy without return are real. Getting your idea out there can expose you. At the same time, it serves as a form of claim that may protect your rights to pursue it when others try to take ownership of it. My view is to always be one step ahead of the competition. If you are constantly evolving and improving your idea then yesterday's work will quickly become obsolete anyway. In order to compete in the modern environment, businesses are going to need to produce on ideas just as fast as they come out. The advantage then goes to the individual who's got the hot idea and can mobilize it as it's forming. If you allow yourself to be open, you just might find the skills, organization, and financial backing coming to you. This is especially possible today with the introduction of technologies and online behaviors. If an idea is hot enough and attracting enough attention, then it is already positioned for success and profitability. Anyone who wants to steal an idea from that point will have an incredible amount of distance to make up. Plus, if investors are sharp enough to recognize the opportunity, then chances are the person with the idea is the first best bet and competition will simply be left in their dust.

I say make your move, get things in motion, and let what you need to make the idea happen fall into place. I'm willing to contribute to projects I feel are remarkable. Investing in the success of others is a risk too. It can all work out great if the person with the drive to make their inspiration happen is willing to make it worthwhile to those that would help them. That conversation never happens if you don't get your idea out there.

Best,


Anthony