Is there a way to protect my new business idea?

hayley11

I have an idea, it's not unique but aspects of it are, the way I want to run this idea and the way I want to expand it, don't appear to have been done before.

I've spent a lot of time looking for companies that offer this service, I can only find one in this country so far and it's slightly different to what I will be offering.

I want to do a lot of market research into this business to ensure i'm not wasting my time and of course i'll need it if I ever want to source funding.

How can I do market research without giving away all my ideas? I've created a survey that i've asked a few trusted friends to fill in for me but it does give most of my ideas away, if I made that public, whats to stop somebody setting it up themselves?

Is this just the danger of setting up a new business? That somebody else could come along and do it while you're planning it?

It wouldn't be the end of the world if somebody else did set up this business I guess, unless it was in my area.

So basically is there a way, that doesn't cost a lot of money, to protect this idea?

Thanks and sorry for waffling

paulwf

With a multiple choice survey you should be able to do it in a way that doesn't give too much info away.

As it is an idea that requires funding I wouldn't be too worried anyway. There are loads of successful businesses that could be replicated but people don't either because they haven't got the inclination, skills, money or confidence to do so.

System

Looking at the IPO site I'm not sure that you can register a business idea. If the business already exists and is being done by other people, but you are doing it slightly differently there doesn't appear to be enough 'uniqueness' to stand in its own right.

PassedAtFailing

You cannot protect a business idea. You can protect a design, product or creativity.

A service mark will be of little use to you it is similar to trademark and we don't even use it here in the UK as far as I am aware.

If you could protect a business idea the chances are you and everybody else would never be able to start a business. There would be so many cross overs from both the past and present.

Remember a business idea requires passion and research to work. You should be the leader in both those respects.

Also worth remembering is the fact that most businesses fail. Not everyone will want to risk a lot on someone else's idea.

As for the person mentioning that people will steal ideas. That's true. But for the case of services and novelties it's more after they've become a success. Products and designs however are a bit more vulnerable if they are clearly a good solution to a common problem.