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A Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA),
also known a Confidentiality Agreement
is a contractual agreement between parties to keep information
exchanged between the parties confidential.
To protect your invention
(i.e. Intellectual
Property or IP) it is necessary for anyone with whom you share
your invention to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement
prior to seeing or learning about your invention.
In addition to consultants,
manufacturers and sub-contractors, friends and family members
should also sign NDAs prior to learning about your
invention. This isn't because
they aren't trustworthy, but because the date when your
invention is disclosed determines when you must apply
for a patent. Your disclosure date is especially
important when applying for patents in countries outside
the United States.
As you work on your
invention, require anyone who's help you enlist to sign
an NDA prior to sharing any information with them.
(Attorneys are bound by attorney client privilege so you
do not need an NDA from an attorney.)
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