You need someone who can understand your idea

Collaboration makes the world a better place—and the same is true for finding help to file your provisional patent. A patent expert can simplify your application process, as well as save you precious time and money in the long run. But not all experts are the same.

Read through our guide on how to pick the best patent expert to collaborate with on your idea.

Pop Quiz:

What does a patent agent do?

1. Advise inventors on their patent applications

2. Assist inventors throughout the patent application process

3. File your application for you

4. Give opinions on the patentability of your idea

The answer is: all of the above!

A patent agent can be your closest friend throughout the provisional patent application process. Think of your patent agent as your wise guide on your patent journey, offering you valuable judgement along the way—and even filing the application on your behalf.

A patent agent, however, is not a patent attorney. The main difference between patent attorneys and agents is that the former has the ability to go to court on your behalf and file lawsuits. A patent agent, on the other hand, gives you the necessary support to file your application—and at a much lower cost (without sacrificing on quality).

A patent agent is a patent expert and can provide invaluable support throughout your provisional patent application.

Patent experts help you:

1. Simplify the provisional patent application process

2. Save precious time on your application

3. Save money for you in the long run

Simplify the provisional patent application process

Because no one wants to spend months agonizing over legal paperwork.

A patent expert is a great resource for making your provisional patent application run as smoothly as possible. While you may be unsure of legal or bureaucratic terminology, your patent expert will have no problem deciphering the, sometimes cryptic, instructions of the patent office.

A patent expert can also help you strategize your patent application process to align with other business goals. They can also manage your entire intellectual property portfolio, craft your overall strategy, remind you of any upcoming deadlines, and submit paperwork on your behalf.

Save precious time on your application

In the world of patents, first-to-file means the sooner you can finish your patent application, the more advantageous it is for you! It also means that time is literally money for those looking to patent, and every day you waste trying to figure out the ins-and-outs of your provisional patent application, is working against you.

A patent expert can file your provisional application quickly and help secure your place in line. The faster that you complete your provisional application, the faster you can bring your product to market.

So, why waste time toiling over your provisional application when a patent expert can execute your application in mere weeks rather than the months it may take you on your own?

Save money in the long-run

We completely understand—as a startup, it’s hard to imagine what you’ll be doing a month from now, let alone in a year. But, filing for a provisional patent with a patent expert can help you save money in the future.

Here’s why: the goal of a provisional patent is to start your patent application process, and hold your place in line for the next year while you further develop your idea. A provisional patent will eventually need to be matured into a full patent, which will cost you money.

However, by filing a provisional patent with a patent expert, you’ll save money in the long run when you look to mature your patent into a full patent. A full patent on its own is more expensive, so the most cost-effective way to spend your money is to have a patent expert with you throughout the provisional patent process.

Choose your patent expert wisely!

Don’t be fooled by the allure of the term “attorney”—just because someone is an attorney doesn’t mean that they fully understand the patent process. Attorneys also tend to charge by the hour, leaving you with a possibly incompetent patent application, and an exorbitant fee for their services.

Even more importantly, many patent attorneys lack the technological understanding behind your idea. Would you trust a heart surgeon with only a general knowledge of medicine?

Choose someone who truly understands you, your business strategy, and your innovative idea.

Click below to visit our FAQs to learn the differences between a patent agent and a patent attorney:

Love this guide? Share this guide with your colleagues & friends: