Invention Development Organizations

Invention development organizations are private and public consulting and marketing businesses that exist to help inventors bring their inventions to market. The PTO advises that although many of the organizations, also called patent promotion organizations, are legitimate, many are not. Some recommend that an inventor use their services to pursue patent protection with little regard for the value of a patent that may ultimately issue. Most experts advise extreme caution in dealing with invention development companies, particularly those that charge fees in advance of any services. The PTO does not provide information about the organizations and recommends that inventors contact the Better Business Bureau in the city in which the organization is located to determine whether it is reputable.

In fact, the American Inventors Protection Act of 1999 protects inexperienced inventors from unscrupulous invention developers by requiring promotion companies to disclose the number of inventions they have evaluated positively and negatively and their customers' success in receiving financial profits and licensing arrangements as a direct result of the promotion firm's activities. Inventors also can withdraw from contracts made with invention developers within a certain period of time. The PTO limits its assistance in the marketing and use of inventions to publishing in the Official Gazette, for $25, a notice that the patent is available for sale or licensing.