How to Protect an Idea or Invention Before You Pitch It
You cannot protect a bare idea: copyright covers how you express it, not the idea itself, so anyone may build the same concept independently. What you can protect is everything around it: the written plan, pitch deck and code (copyright, from the moment you create them), an invention (a patent, which must be filed before you disclose it publicly), a product's look (a registered design), its name (a trademark) and the confidential details (trade secrets, backed by an NDA). Before you pitch, decide which of these applies, share only what each listener needs, and keep a dated record of exactly what you showed and when.
This is general information, not legal advice for a specific dispute.
What can and cannot be protected
| What you have | How it is protected | Key condition |
|---|---|---|
| A concept ("an app that does X") | Not protected on its own | Keep it confidential and move fast |
| Business plan, pitch deck, code, designs, texts | Copyright, automatically | Covers your expression, not the underlying idea |
| A technical invention | Patent, from a patent office (national office, EPO) | Must be new: disclosing it publicly before filing can destroy patentability |
| The appearance of a product | Registered design; in the EU also short unregistered protection | The EU gives a 12-month grace period after your own disclosure |
| A name or logo | Trademark | Exists only once registered (in most countries) |
| Recipes, methods, data, know-how | Trade secret | Only while you take reasonable steps to keep it secret: NDAs, access limits |
"Is there an authorship document for an invention?"
Not in the way people hope. Inventions are protected by patents, and patents go to whoever files first, not to whoever thought of it first. No certificate, timestamp or notary deposit replaces a patent application. What a dated record can still do for an inventor: show what you had and when in a dispute with a co-founder, a former employer or a manufacturer; support a prior-use defence in countries that have one; and help show that a trade secret was yours before someone else used it. If your idea might be patentable, speak to a patent attorney before showing it to anyone without an NDA.
Before you pitch: a checklist
- Write it down properly. A one- or two-page description of the problem, your solution, how it works and what makes it different. That document is protected by copyright and is what you date.
- Check whether it is an invention. If yes, file or get advice before any public disclosure, including demo days, posts and crowdfunding pages.
- Use an NDA with partners, developers and manufacturers. Most investors will not sign one; for them, share the what and why, not the how.
- Pitch in layers. The first meeting needs the problem, market and traction, not the source code or formula.
- Timestamp each version you share. Export the deck or description as a PDF and timestamp it before it goes out, so you can show exactly what each recipient saw.
- Log every pitch. Date, person, company, what you showed, and a follow-up email summarising the meeting.
- Agree with co-founders in writing who owns the idea, code and brand. Most idea disputes are between founders.
What a StampR certificate adds
A StampR certificate binds the SHA-256 fingerprint of your document, deck or prototype files to a qualified electronic timestamp from BORICA B-Trust, together with your declaration that you are their author. Under Article 41(2) of the EU eIDAS Regulation, its date and integrity are presumed accurate in every EU member state. The document never leaves your computer: only the fingerprint is sent, so a confidential idea stays confidential. If someone you pitched later builds on your materials, you can show on the verification page exactly what existed and when.
What it does not do
- It does not protect the bare idea. Nothing does.
- It is not a patent and gives no patent priority. File with a patent office for that.
- It is not a trademark or a registered design.
- It does not replace an NDA. It dates what you shared; the NDA governs what they may do with it.
- It does not create or record any rights.
The wider context: copyright protection – how the right arises, and how it differs from patents and trademarks.
Related reading
- What a declaration of authorship is – what it shows and what it does not.
- Certificate of authorship – what is on it and how others check it.
- Every option for evidencing authorship, compared.
Frequently asked questions
Can you copyright an idea?
No. Copyright protects the expression of an idea, such as your written plan, code or design, not the idea itself. Others may develop the same idea independently.
How do I protect my idea before showing it to investors?
Write it up, check whether it is patentable before any public disclosure, share in layers, timestamp each version you send and keep notes of every meeting. Most investors will not sign an NDA, so keep the how for later.
Does a timestamp protect my invention?
No. Inventions are protected by patents, which go to the first to file. A timestamp can show what you had and when, which helps in disputes with partners or for a prior-use defence, but it is not a patent.
Is an NDA enough?
It is a contract with one party. It helps against that party but not against others, and you still need to show what you actually disclosed, which is where a dated record of the shared documents helps.
Is my document uploaded?
No. The fingerprint is calculated in your browser and only the fingerprint is sent, unless you choose to store a copy.
Sources
- TRIPS Agreement, Article 9(2) – copyright covers expressions, not ideas.
- European Patent Convention, Article 54 – novelty and prior disclosure.
- Directive (EU) 2016/943 – trade secrets and reasonable steps to keep them secret.
- Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 (eIDAS), Article 41 – legal effect of qualified electronic timestamps.
Sources checked 2026-11-05.
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