How do I protect my invention before I have a patent?
Reviewed by
Dominic Davies, patent attorney (20+ years)
· Last reviewed
September 7, 2026
Before filing, an invention can be protected through confidentiality (NDAs), careful control of who it's shared with, and by avoiding public disclosure that could start disclosure clocks in countries with no grace period. Filing a priority application as soon as the invention is developed enough removes most of this risk at relatively low cost.
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