Trying to find investors today thru various online avenues like Quora, don't know of many others.
The product is something I cannot find in searching so it's not out there yet or "invented", I can't give away the idea or it'll be stolen.
A patent is very expensive now, so it'd have to be maybe a nondisclosure agreement with the investor(s) or something like that?
I do have a working prototype that is electro-mechanical but I wanted to be able to use voice commands/recognition with great encryption, connectable to phone/pc and it'll have physical buttons as well.
It will use a linux or android system as the AI, hardened obviously.
This product will be for physical home defense against an intruder, etc.
I would think initial investment to make a true working prototype would be between $1,000-$5,000 mostly due to cost of the AI system, etc. I can build the actual thing and have worked out it's mechanics.
Any ideas?
Note- for instance my dad actually invented/perfected Stabilized wood for knife handles, etc but his whole process was stolen by investors because my dad was old school and would often work off hand shakes and verbal agreements.
Any help appreciated!

Best to work through with NDAs. You'll have to fork out for a lawyer to nail down the NDA. But keep in mind that quite a few nasty companies such as M$ have no qualms about ignoring the NDA contracts. So be careful.

Forget the patents if you are just thinking about software, algorithms, or business methods.
Software and those others cannot be patented in many countries and even in the US, while the USPTO has still been granting software patents, they are being overturned left and right. Following the Alice case they are on their way to being invalidated as a category.

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Awesome thanks Turbocapitalist!
The Idea itself is simply a conglomeration of inventions already out there just nobody has put it together as a home/personal defense thing. Obviously I can't explain too much.
As for M$ I doubt they'd want anything to do with it since it involves weapons lol
I think NDA's may work- I mean once the finished product gets marketed I expect a gaggle of companies to produce their own versions, especially China probably haha.
So, instead of just making my own company to distribute it/make it, maybe just make a real prototype and take it to a Arms company and they pay me a one-time buyout fee or something?

Hi,

My suggestion would be to work with a local University incubator program. Most major Universities have these to help local people to develop ideas to manufacturer via on-sight consultation with experienced mentors/advisors/lawyers. You will go through a interview process to get some direction or advise to viable/doable. Of course NDA would be part of that program. Before my retirement I worked within a incubator to develop ideas to product very successfully.

Hope this helps.
Have fun & enjoy!

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Thanks Onebuck...but with all the pc stuff/anti-gun stuff on campus today do you think they'd help or let me in?
That would be my only concern there- note I live near Charlottesville/UVA which as you know has been a hotbed recently since the clash between the antifa and neo-nazi's in 2017 and the Statues controversy still brewing...

Hi,

I can only speak from my experiences. Sure academia can be liberal minded but most of the incubators are professionally supported. You may experience some prejudices but there are the means to handles this through University structures. Most incubators do use business professionals along with University sections/colleges to help procedures within the incubator setting. University incubators are usually setup independent but are the means for the University to provide methods to produce a successful product experience. Just as in life, you need to learn who to trust or be envolved with so you can/will be successful.

I am a conservative person and still was able to be successful with liberal minded individuals since I would not get into political discussions with colleagues. Not that I would not defend myself but would not let myself get into typical liberal tactics to entrap me. Soon most would not communicate in a sense to try to get their desired actions by working professionally with me. It's hard but doable!

Personally, I feel you would not know if this would work for you until you speak with the incubator administrator/Director. Try it, see if it's a possible way of getting your ideas to market. Be sure to go into the interview with open mind and do not be defensive or prejudgement. Treat this in a positive business attitude and query the process so you will understand what the incubator can offer.
Hope this helps.
Have fun and enjoy!

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I suggest you contact a patent attorney (yes, it's a specialty--I used to know one). Even if you don't retain the attorney, a short conference should garner you a lot of information about how the system works.

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