Patents and innovation- protection

You work hard, spend huge intellectual effort in fine tuning your idea and finally converting the idea into a game changing innovation. You get a patent protection on it. Now the challenge is to convert this innovation into a business proposition. You have already shared this with your close friends and your immediate network but none of them have been able to convert that innovation into a business. Now you are looking for options. You use the internet, social networking sites like linked in and others hoping that someone, somewhere in some part of the world with business sense will help you convert your idea into a business venture. 

Innovators will meet such people, some of them will be genuine, others will be non serious and frivolous while a few will be out to steal the concept. The challenge is now to select the right person. I have come across some innovators who are faced with this dilemma. In one case, we succeeded in building trust and are taking steps to convert the innovation into a business venture. In another case, I did not succeed. Maybe I did not make the right noises and build that trust or maybe the innovator was just too scared of taking the plunge. 

There are no easy options here. It is just like dating. You make it with some and do not make it with others. You go by your gut feel.