Product registration · Startup Funding
I want to start a web based (SAS) startup. Basis of it involves singing up local gyms,fitness centers to our website. We have designed an innovative concept which we believe will be very useful.
argument is if we spend too much time in AUS and expose the innovations then there are bigger fish who would already catch USA market. then it'll be a massive opportunity cost.
If we register in USA are we able to protect our ideas through established IP laws?
If we get traction in USA then chances of getting through the doors of venture capital firms are higher?
You're thinking that you are instantly going to "create" so much interest that everybody is going to take notice and copy it. In realiy that may not happen.
Your best bet is get the MVP up and running pound the streets and phones in th easiest geo market available to you and prove that your target customer wants it, will pay for it and quickly work out the pitch and the on-boarding process.
While you are doing that - pitch US gyms via email and phone and try the same thing - see if the same applies, the rules of play are the same.
Keep this reasonably lo-level - Since the market is gym's their is no need to hype it just do under the radar direct "outbound" lead gen at those gyms. (No one will no what is going on). Use a product like Hubspot or Close.io to send emails and get responses for demos.
Sign up as many gyms as you can, get traction then if the money is pouring in worry about incorporation and the business side of things when that happens.
You can spend a lot of time worrying about the "what if this happens" when really what you should be worrying about...
"How am i going to make that happen"
And at this stage the 4 things you need to make happen are
1. a salable MVP product
2. customers burning your phones to pay for it.
3. a tried on-boarding process
4. a lead gen system to hit the gyms around the globe.
Don't get hooked up on fantasy instagram stories of how start-ups raise money and kill markets. If you hear a fantasy story that team has done their fair share of hard work, taking risks and making it happen before anyone heard about them.
Just go for it before your idea gets stale or you find out it was not such a great idea after-all.
Registration is not the issue. You should be thinking about where to launch. There are many US VCs who advise regional companies to launch and do it well there prior to launching in the US. If you build brand and get a better understanding of the product/market fit prior to coming to the US, you are a stronger candidate for investment. Do not make your worry over being copied your biggest concern; if the market is ready and as big as you think, you will be copied. If you are as good as you are, it will not matter.
Being in the US provides you no IP protection unless you have filed and received IP protection (patents/trademarks). Only being here does nothing. However, if you have a prior use of IP and another later tries to file, at minimum you are not blocked from use, and at best, you can block them from the registration/issue.