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Question of the Day: If you were buying a TV today, which brand would you choose?
I'll do the following:
1. Make sure it is unique.
2. Document it with as much detail as possible (diagrams, DB schemas used, interaction with other systems, what it does with data and how, etc).
3. Get a NDA from lawyer. (Maybe also patent idea)
4. Go to software house, make them sign NDA.
5. Make profit share agreement with successful SW house.
The biggest problem, is to make sure nobody have thought of this before. Search at patent offices (locally and abroad). If it really a unique idea, you should patent the idea a.s.a.p, and do something about it. Just having a patent might not be enough to protect it.
1. Make sure it is unique.
2. Document it with as much detail as possible (diagrams, DB schemas used, interaction with other systems, what it does with data and how, etc).
3. Get a NDA from lawyer. (Maybe also patent idea)
4. Go to software house, make them sign NDA.
5. Make profit share agreement with successful SW house.
The biggest problem, is to make sure nobody have thought of this before. Search at patent offices (locally and abroad). If it really a unique idea, you should patent the idea a.s.a.p, and do something about it. Just having a patent might not be enough to protect it.
FarligOpptreden
Executive Member
Make 100% sure it's unique first. More often than not, your idea has already been implemented...
EDIT: Yurgh... Nod beat me to it. Damn open tabs and getting coffee...
EDIT: Yurgh... Nod beat me to it. Damn open tabs and getting coffee...
Try me.
Some ideas
Well i have the same spike (not the same idea you have though ;-)). Most startups fails not because the ideas were bad, on the contray, they lacked proper funding and died a silent dead.
Check this link for some advice on approaching prospective funding / partners.
If you are South Africa you can use Enterprise Development funds available from companies who want to attain BEE status / certification. In short these companies should invest 3% of their profit into upcoming ideas in their area of expertise. Read around for more details
-- Where there is a need, there is a way.
Some ideas
Well i have the same spike (not the same idea you have though ;-)). Most startups fails not because the ideas were bad, on the contray, they lacked proper funding and died a silent dead.
Check this link for some advice on approaching prospective funding / partners.
If you are South Africa you can use Enterprise Development funds available from companies who want to attain BEE status / certification. In short these companies should invest 3% of their profit into upcoming ideas in their area of expertise. Read around for more details
-- Where there is a need, there is a way.
Thanks to all. I think the idea is unique (will research more) because the technology it is based on is not very far developed. It's a combination of 4 relatively new technologies which includes social networking (pff, obvious!) Anywho, thanks again. Wish i had some CONTACTS...
Ps.@root01 ek is 'n wit klonkie, so i don't think BEE aplies to me...
Ps.@root01 ek is 'n wit klonkie, so i don't think BEE aplies to me...
Kloon
Expert Member
Prototype! Most people think having an idea and just think pitching it will lead to someone giving them big funding, investors are more likely to invest in your idea if you have a prototype available. If you require funding to start the prototype you can always give http://www.crowdfunding.co.za/ a try, and then if you are in Cape Town perhaps organize a pitch at the next Silicon Cape event.
davemc
Executive Member
Before you talk to anybody, know exactly where the money is coming from.
i.e. How does this venture/idea make money?
Once you know where the money is going to be coming from, you will know exactly who to talk to.
i.e. How does this venture/idea make money?
Once you know where the money is going to be coming from, you will know exactly who to talk to.
"What makes an entrepreneur is not the idea, but the speed that they can get their product to market" - heard that once and I reckon its true for the most part.
I use this forum a lot http://discuss.joelonsoftware.com/?biz. Not saying post your idea there but they generally give good advise. Couple of big wigs comment on their as well which helps.
I use this forum a lot http://discuss.joelonsoftware.com/?biz. Not saying post your idea there but they generally give good advise. Couple of big wigs comment on their as well which helps.
Maybe good advice but a waste of your resources ... you rarely would be granted a patent on an idea - eg treatment of Erectile dysfunction is an idea - but you could be protected by an implementation - eg the way Viagra works. Lots of people have great ideas that don't see the light of day, therefore it is not in the best interests of innovation to protect just ideas. Now when you actually implement something - then that is worth protecting and stimulating.
That is true. I quickly looked up on patents/copyright, and they don't cover ideas or concepts. Thus, the only thing will be to create a working prototype, and then patent that.
Thanks to Google for the translation. From my analysis of that requirement, its does not matter if you were previously disadvantaged or not, as long as you are South Africa and young (can't remember the limit, if any), and you idea is in the same field/realm as the funder, you would qualify.
Try not to limit the success of the idea by not trying, give it a short, after all its not about how many times you fall, its how many times you get back up.
However take time to create a prototype as by Kloon.
Dont bother going to a software house. Think of it this way - you want to provide them an idea, have them do all the hard work, and then give you half the money? Not gonna happen.
Get finance, start your own software group, recruit a few people, and get going. Actually, before you do that, plan it thoroughly, and pay an IT consultant to give you advice about whether it would work at all.
Get finance, start your own software group, recruit a few people, and get going. Actually, before you do that, plan it thoroughly, and pay an IT consultant to give you advice about whether it would work at all.
Why do you want to pitch it to someone?
But wait, there's more:
You cannot patent software in South Africa (legally), even if you do somehow, it won't be legally recognized. Copyright is your only option for software.
In my 3rd year we had a person from this law firm speak to us: http://www.chettylaw.co.za
And she made that fact clear, which they also seem to cover on their web-site: http://www.chettylaw.co.za/2009/03/patent-software-south-africa
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