Category: Patent Resources

What is a patent worth? It depends. Some patents are worth a lot of money. Other patents aren’t worth anything. The real value comes from the underlying idea – the invention. If the invention is a million dollar idea, then the patent will be worth a lot. If, on the other hand, the invention isn’t worth much, then the patent won’t be worth much either.

Here are some examples of valuable patents:

1) U.S. Patent No. 174,465 issued to Alexander Graham Bell (1876) is often recognized as the most valuable patent in history.

And more recently . . .

2) During an episode of the ABC realty TV show “SHARK TANK” which aired on March 20, 2011, one of the investors offered $600,000 for the rights to a wine maker’s patent rights for wine sold by the glass. The inventor refused this offer.

3) On April 4, 2011, the AP reported that Google was planning to bid $900 million for a Nortel patent portfolio of 6,000 patents . . . that’s $150,000 for each patent!

Of course there are thousands of patent applications filed every year, and thousands of patents issued on inventions that are totally worthless.

I get calls all the time from inventors who have a great idea . . . but no funding. Sometimes they ask me if I would be willing to take a partial ownership interest in their invention in return for my services. Due to the potential this raises for ethical dilemmas, I always decline such offers.

Some inventors ask if I know of anyone who might be able to help fund their invention. But that’s like asking if I know anyone who would be willing to buy their home. Finding a buyer (or investor) depends on many factors, such as what specifically the idea is and whether that particular buyer (or investor) is willing to fund that sort of an idea.

I did recently, however, come across the following website that offers to connect people with ideas and people with funding. Check out http://www.kickstarter.com. Kickstarter.com claims to be “the largest funding platform for creative projects in the world.” Projects include music, film, art, technology, design, food, publishing and other creative fields. It does not appear that the project be any particular size to qualify.

The good news is that the creator keeps 100% ownership and control over their work. Although I’m not sure what the investor gets in return.

Interestingly, it appears that a project must reach a preset funding goal before time runs out or no money changes hands.

I don’t have any personal experience with this site, and so I can’t endorse this site. But if you are an inventor with a big idea, and no way to fund it, this site might be worth checking into. As with any funding arrangement, be sure you understand all of the consequences before you enter into any agreements. And be careful who you share your idea with, especially if you haven’t already protected it with a patent.