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Joan Murt wrote: he [beer] is dead,
The [beer] is never dead mate, you are wrong. The [beer] will live long after the humanity is extinct or eaten by enormous space human-eating bugs.
Microsoft ... the only place where VARIANT_TRUE != true
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Hello all,
Searching for advice here. Only starting points, nothing so deep.
Own experiences welcome.
Previous notes:
Imagine that:
- You have a big business idea that could give lots of cash.
- You don't have money to start with it.
- This would imply leaving your country and travel and establish yourself in the USA.
- That business would be something related to new technology, gadgets and programming.
- Implementing that would require good lawyers, some programmers and a small infrastructure.
- Preparing a professional business plan it's not an issue.
Question:
How would you proceed?
Which are the steps you would take to ensure that the idea would not be taken by others keeping in mind you need to explain the idea to get financing from any kind of source (business angels, partners...).
As always thank you in advance! 
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Venture capital
---------------------------------
Obscurum per obscurius.
Ad astra per alas porci.
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur .
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Firstly: I haven't done anything along these lines myself...
But:
Joan Murt wrote: would require good lawyers
Joan Murt wrote: ensure that the idea would not be taken by others keeping
Can't you already patent the 'idea', which (c)(w)ould even make a stronger case towards the venture capitalists as mentioned by the resident Dalek?
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I'm not sure why you feel the need to go to Merca.
Can you not, as I am doing, at least get to proto-type stage with your idea without funding? That way you have a concrete concept to copyright, left, over and above; software patents are for trolls. After getting to that stage, then go after vulture capital. If you can at least get going on a small scale with little or no finance, then other investment streams become available without having to whore yourself and your first born to the VC banditos.
That's my tuppence'orth, now where's my equity share?
speramus in juniperus
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you had bad experience with venture capital?
dev
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Not really, I have worked for a VC funded outfit and it was oft tiring trying to balance their desire for return with that of the need for investment.
speramus in juniperus
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Work on the side, have the product ready before quit your day job? Start sell small (with your day job funding the advertising/marketing) - I'd suspect you'd be in a much better position to bargain with Venture Capitalists if you have some actual sales
dev
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First step is to protect your idea.
Spend some time and try to cover all little variations of you idea and patent it.
Next funding issues,Do a raffle with techie guys. Winner gets the job offfer in your idea implemetation.
cheers,
Super
------------------------------------------
Too much of good is bad,mix some evil in it
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how much patent will cost you these days? (Anyway only things easy to copy need patent, algo don't, just need obfuscate it)
dev
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With VC or angel funding, the goal of the entity giving you the cash is:
1. Ensure that they make their money back, quickly (usually 5 years or less).
2. Make sure they double, triple, or more the initial investment.
3. Get out when they've hit the return target.
This means that if you seek venture capital, be prepared to:
1. Give up a majority stake in your company.
2. Give up control of your company to somebody the VC will put in place.
3. Get ready to lose your company/product/idea after they sell off.
This doesn't mean you can't make gobs of money if you do it, but just don't expect whoever buys your company after the VC gets done with it to keep you on board or even continue your product line. This happens quite a bit, companies buy other companies just to reduce competition.
So why do you think you have to move to the US to make this company/idea? I have a company that specializes in gadgets and programming, I will be coming out with some new products next year that work around some very new (still waiting on the first production units) hardware.
Another option you have is to team up with a company, you can always do a poor-mans patent, which is basically documenting your idea sufficiently then filing it with somebody (lawyer) before presenting your idea to other companies. Then you can go searching for a company that builds similar products or is in the target industry and pitch the idea from them, being reasonably certain that if they "steal" it, you can sue them for it.
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Well I guess the first step would be to get here, we don't allow any old rif-rif on our shores : )
Want to succeed? Build a great small business idea and have it succeed and grow it to a big business. The only sure fire way to start a big business is to start from an even larger one. Or in aviation terms, the only way to make a small fortune in aviation is to start with a large fortune.
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Now, no need to get morally indignant sir.
[edit]
Ok. Sorry. Wrong target.
Well, got rid of the yellow flags anyway ...
Thanks
[end edit]
modified 15-Nov-13 13:05pm.
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Joan Murt wrote: keeping in mind you need to explain the idea to get financing from any kind of source
At least one person I know who does do this, fairly often, if you can't demonstrate an existing user base with a growing participation then no normal VC is going to give you money.
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yes - got a feeling for most of us software developers best way go forward is to code at your spare time (if you have any, generally if you have a day job this means you need do graveyard shift which is depressing) - but once development done, it's just putting in some advertising money, and pushing sales (not so hard if you have a day job)
If you have $$$, you don't look vulnerable - This will put you in a much better position when bargain with VC or anybody really - that is, you don't need them. The moment you do, they will use you, and squeeze (If you work for an investment bank before you'd know what this means)
The point is, you need let them know "You don't need them"
dev
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"At home the woman with sex appeal has one taking in new genetic code perhaps?"(11)
Not too hard, may need a little thinking drink time.
---------------------------------
Obscurum per obscurius.
Ad astra per alas porci.
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur .
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At home IN
the woman HER
with sex appeal IT
has one A CE
taking in new N
genetic code perhaps?
INHERITANCE
The only instant messaging I do involves my middle finger.
English doesn't borrow from other languages.
English follows other languages down dark alleys, knocks them over and goes through their pockets for loose grammar.
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I see you have been at the Wisdom Wine this morning.
Or was it the Cerebrum Cider?
---------------------------------
Obscurum per obscurius.
Ad astra per alas porci.
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur .
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Cogitation Coffee 
The only instant messaging I do involves my middle finger.
English doesn't borrow from other languages.
English follows other languages down dark alleys, knocks them over and goes through their pockets for loose grammar.
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That's pretty funny. 
Soren Madsen
"When you don't know what you're doing it's best to do it quickly" - Jase #DuckDynasty
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Like it, small Kids are easy targets for things like that, the question is how far will the parents go!
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Yes. I'm going to be in SO much trouble in a few years.
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