How to Talk to Manufacturers and Investors Before Your Patent Is Granted

You might need to talk to manufacturers, investors, or potential partners before your patent is granted, sometimes even before it’s filed.

This can feel like walking a tightrope: you want to share enough to move things forward, but not so much that you lose rights or get taken advantage of.

Here’s a practical, reality-based guide.

1. Understand your filing status

There’s a big difference between:

• no application filed yet,

• a non-provisional utility application pending, and

• a granted patent.

Whenever possible:

• file a real utility application (not a thin provisional) before serious discussions, and

• then you can safely