Can I Protect My Idea Without a Patent?

By Tim Berry

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Tim Berry

Entrepreneur, Business Planner and Angel Investor

Tim Berry is the chairman of Eugene, Ore.-Palo Alto Software, which produces business-planning software. He founded Bplans.com and wrote The Plan-As-You-Go Business Plan, published by Entrepreneur Press. Berry is also a co-founder of HavePresence.com, a leader in a local angel-investment group and a judge of international business-plan competitions.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Side Hustle

This Gen Zer's Stylish Side Hustle Earns About $20,000 a Month and Paid Off His Parents' $200,000 Debt: 'I Enjoy the Hands-Off Nature'

Ray Cao went from working as a barista for $8 an hour to being a successful seller on online marketplace StockX.

Data & Recovery

You Could Pay Millions in Fines for Not Adhering to New Compliance Regulations That Take Effect This Year. Here Are 6 Strategies to Keep Yourself in Check.

New or evolving rules and regulations are a fact of corporate life. How employees embrace these new rules — and associated education and training processes — can make a big difference to organizational performance as well as the financial bottom line.

Business News

MacKenzie Scott Donates $640 Million to Non-Profits After Elon Musk's 'Ex-Wife' Comment on X

The winning applicants span 38 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

Living

Want to Succeed? Learn to Say 'No'

As a first-year founder and entrepreneur, saying "yes" to every opportunity can hurt your chance of survival.