Submitting an invention typically means one of two things: filing a patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, or pitching your idea to a company that might license or buy it. Most inventors need to do both, and the order matters. Protecting your idea legally before showing it to anyone gives you leverage and prevents someone from claiming your concept as their own.
Protect Your Idea Before Sharing It
The single most important step before submitting your invention anywhere is establishing legal protection. A provisional patent application is the fastest, cheapest way to do this. It gives you “patent pending” status for 12 months and locks in your filing date, which matters if someone else files a similar idea later.
A provisional application is simpler than a full patent. You don’t need formal patent claims, a sworn oath, or a prior art statement. You need three things: a written description of your invention detailed enough that someone in your field could understand how it works, any drawings that help explain it, and a cover sheet listing the invention title, all inventors’ names and addresses, and your contact information. The USPTO provides a standard cover sheet form (PTO/SB/16) for this.
You can file electronically through the USPTO’s Patent Center portal, where you upload everything as PDFs and pay in real time. You can also mail documents to the Commissioner for Patents in Alexandria, Virginia. Filing fees for a provisional application are $325 at the standard rate, $130 for small entities (companies with fewer than 500 employees), and just $65 for micro entities (individual inventors who meet income limits and haven’t filed more than four previous applications).
If you later decide to file a full (nonprovisional) utility patent within that 12-month window, expect additional costs. The basic filing fee runs $70 to $350 depending on your entity size, plus a search fee ($154 to $770) and an examination fee ($176 to $880). The full patent process takes longer and typically involves a patent attorney, but the provisional application buys you time to test the market while your idea is protected.
Build Your Submission Materials
Companies don’t want to read a patent application. They want to see, quickly, what your invention does and why it would sell. The standard tool for this is a sell sheet: a single page that communicates your product’s value at a glance.
A strong sell sheet follows a specific layout. At the top, a tagline of 12 words or fewer states what the product is and its main benefit. Below that, on the left side of the page, place a single high-quality image of your product, either a photograph or a computer-generated rendering. To the right of the image, list at least three bulleted benefits that support the main claim in your tagline. If any of those benefits need more explanation, add a short paragraph or two below the image. User testimonials go next if you have them, and your contact information (company name, mailing address, phone number, email, website) goes at the bottom.
Keep the design clean. Use standard fonts like Arial, Georgia, or Times New Roman. Avoid heavy color schemes or decorative graphics. The sell sheet is a business document, not a marketing flyer.
Do You Need a Prototype?
Not always, but having one strengthens your pitch significantly. There are two types worth knowing about. A “looks-like” prototype shows the size, shape, and appearance of the final product without actually functioning. It helps companies visualize the product on a shelf. A “works-like” prototype demonstrates how the product operates, even if it looks rough. For a first submission, either type works. If your invention solves a mechanical or technical problem, a works-like prototype is more persuasive. If it’s a consumer product where design matters, a looks-like version may be enough. Many inventors submit with just a sell sheet and detailed drawings, then build prototypes once a company expresses interest.
How Companies Handle Outside Ideas
Here’s something most new inventors don’t realize: many companies refuse to look at unsolicited ideas. This isn’t rudeness. It’s legal self-defense. If a company reviews your pitch and happens to already be developing something similar internally, you could later claim they stole your concept. To avoid this, most companies either reject outside submissions entirely or require you to sign a submission agreement before they’ll look at anything.
These agreements typically ask you to waive confidentiality and acknowledge that the company may already be working on something similar. That sounds scary, but it’s standard. Your patent pending status is what protects you here, not confidentiality. The submission agreement simply lets the company evaluate your idea without the legal risk of being accused of theft later.
If you’re sharing your invention with a smaller company, a potential business partner, or a manufacturer who doesn’t have a formal submission process, use a mutual non-disclosure agreement (NDA) instead. A solid NDA should define what counts as confidential information (including technical details, business plans, and patentable ideas), restrict the other party from sharing your information with third parties without written consent, and limit use of your information to evaluating a potential business relationship. It should also include standard exceptions for information that was already public, already known to the other party, or independently developed.
Finding Companies That Accept Submissions
Some major corporations run dedicated portals for outside inventors. Hasbro’s Spark platform is one of the most structured examples. Their process works in three steps: you agree to their submission terms (a concept disclosure agreement), fill in your personal and contact details, then upload materials explaining your idea. You must be at least 18, own or control all rights to the concept, and have permission from any collaborators.
Other large companies run “open innovation” programs where they actively seek outside ideas. Organizations like NASA, HSBC, Waitrose, and AstraZeneca have used platforms like Wazoku to source innovations. BMW has run startup challenges. Starbucks famously operated a public idea submission platform for years. Search for your target company’s name plus “submit an idea” or “open innovation” to find out if they have a program.
For industries without formal portals, you’ll need to identify the right person at each company. Look for titles like VP of Product Development, Director of New Products, or Innovation Manager. A cold email with your sell sheet attached is the standard approach. Send it flat in a 9-by-12 envelope if you’re mailing physical copies.
Licensing vs. Selling Your Invention
Most independent inventors license their inventions rather than sell them outright. Licensing means a company pays you a percentage of sales (a royalty) in exchange for the right to manufacture and sell your product. You retain ownership of the patent.
Royalty rates vary by industry but fall in a fairly narrow range. Electronics and hardware patents typically earn 4 to 6 percent of wholesale revenue. Consumer goods royalties usually land between 4 and 5 percent. These percentages may sound small, but on a product selling millions of units, they add up. Some deals also include an upfront payment or minimum annual guarantees.
Selling (assigning) your patent means a one-time payment and you walk away. This makes sense if you don’t want to manage an ongoing licensing relationship or if the buyer offers a price that reflects the invention’s full value. Most first-time inventors are better served by licensing, since it preserves long-term income and keeps your options open if the first company doesn’t perform well.
A Practical Submission Sequence
The order of operations matters more than most guides let on. Filing your provisional patent application first is non-negotiable. Once you have patent pending status, build your sell sheet and, if possible, a basic prototype. Research companies in your product’s category and identify which ones accept outside submissions. For companies with formal portals, follow their process exactly. For companies without one, send a brief introductory email or letter with your sell sheet, mentioning that your invention is patent pending. Don’t send technical details, drawings, or your provisional application in this first contact.
If a company is interested, they’ll ask for more information and likely send you their submission agreement. Read it carefully, but understand that signing it is almost always a prerequisite. Your patent filing is your real protection. From first contact to a signed licensing deal, expect the process to take anywhere from a few months to over a year. Persistence, and submitting to multiple companies simultaneously, dramatically improves your odds.