Find support for inventors

If you're considering setting up a business to manufacture, market and sell your new invention, or looking at ways of licensing it, a range of sources can help you:

• assess the commercial viability of your idea
• draw up a business plan
• find possible sources of funding

For best practice guidance on new product development, see how to research and develop ideas, new products and services.

Start-up support

If you're starting a new business, you can access free start-up business support from your local council. Contact them to get one-to-one advice from a business advisor and tailored guidance to develop your business plan.

Your local chamber of commerce should also be able to advise you about starting up. Find your local chamber of commerce in Northern Ireland.

Research and development (R&D) support

Any new invention with commercial potential will require a significant amount of R&D activities to ensure that the idea:

• is feasible
• is commercially viable
• can meet market expectations

Eligible businesses in Northern Ireland can get grant support from Invest Northern Ireland (Invest NI) towards the cost of R&D.

As well as the grant, you can also avail of regular R&D workshops and clinics where you can speak to innovation advisers about your specific R&D needs. Find out more about what's available through Invest NI's R&D support.

Innovation support

InterTradeIreland has a number of support structures in place for business innovation and growth, including their All-Island Innovation Programme, Fusion Programme, Horizon support and others. Find out how InterTradeIreland support innovation in business.

Businesses in Northern Ireland can also apply to the Innovation Accreditation Programme to receive help with, and recognition for, innovating. Simply complete the Innovate NI's online self-assessment questionnaire to join.

If you're working on an innovative idea for a new or improved product, process or service, you may also be eligible to apply for Invest NI's Innovation Voucher. The voucher is worth up to £5000 and can be used to help you pay for specialist knowledge. Read more about Invest NI's Innovation Vouchers.

Watch the animation below to see how Invest Northern Ireland can help you develop new products and services.

If you're working on an original invention and have established that nobody else has developed (or is developing) something similar, you need to consider how you will protect your intellectual property (IP).

Protecting IP in an invention

Depending on the type of your product, you may want to apply for a patent, a trade mark or a registered design to keep competitors at bay. These IP rights can prohibit others to make, use and exploit your inventions without your permission.

To weigh up your options and understand the assets you must protect in your invention, read more about trade marks, design right and registration and find out how to get patent protection for your business.

Bear in mind that there may be times when it might be better to keep quiet about your invention and delay applying for IP rights such as patents to keep your invention secret. In cases like this, trade secrets could be a useful mechanism to secure your idea.

Patenting your invention

You can only call your idea an invention if you can prove it is original. To prove originality, you will need to conduct a search of previously registered patents, as rights may already exist protecting the same or similar idea or invention, any components that form part of it, or any processes it uses.

Get help with patent searches

You can get free local advice on patents and patent searches from specialist advisers at Invest Northern Ireland (NI). Find out more about Invest NI's IP support. For expert advice, you may also want to consult an IP specialist such as a trade mark or a patent attorney.

Trade mark attorneys can advise you on design issues as well as trade marks - which could form an important part of the commercial viability of your invention. Find a trade mark attorney in Northern Ireland.

A patent attorney will be able to advise you on the best way of exploiting an invention's commercial potential and guide you through the application process for patents and registered designs. Find a chartered patent attorney in Northern Ireland.

Be aware that some commercial businesses offer patents searching services costing thousands of pounds. In reality, they are only searching the databases that are freely available to the public. It is always advisable to use a registered patent attorney, or call Invest NI's Helpline on Tel 0800 181 4422 to speak to intellectual property advisers.

One of the biggest technical challenges when bringing an invention to market is making sure that it is properly tested and compliant with the laws and regulations relating to it.

Many products have to undergo third-party testing to ensure that they meet product safety law requirements. Even if not required by law, in some cases it is the industry norm to conduct safety tests.

Accredited product testing services

Testing centres or laboratories in the UK are authorised by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). Using such a laboratory for product tests ensures that they will be carried out competently and that the results will be accepted in other markets. Search for accredited testing laboratories in the UK.

One of the main providers of product-testing services accredited by UKAS is the British Standards Institution (BSI). It conducts tests on items such as electrical and gas appliances, engineering products, construction products, electrical components and medical equipment. Read about BSI product testing and certification.

Help with product testing and compliance

Businesses in Northern Ireland can get help with compliance, technical standards and product testing from Invest Northern Ireland's (NI) technical advice team. Read more about what's available through Invest NI's technical support service.

If you want to develop a working prototype of your invention, you can consider a number of options. You can work with:

• a manufacturer
• a centre specialising in rapid prototyping
• a university or an incubation centre
• a product designer
• a model maker

Where to get a prototype done

Invest Northern Ireland's (NI) business advisers may help you to source manufacturers as well as provide general help and advice about prototyping. Find out more about Invest NI's technical support service.

Your local library may have copies of trade directories containing lists of manufacturers and service providers, or you can simply search the internet to find an appropriate company to contact.

Confidentiality and prototyping

Remember that if you're approaching manufacturers with a view to having a prototype produced, you'll need to ensure they don't make your invention public. If they do, its commercial success and eligibility for patent protection could be at risk. As a result, it's often advisable to get them to sign a confidentiality agreement. For more information, read more on non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). If you're drawing up an NDA, seek legal advice.

You may need some form of finance to get your invention to market. There are several sources of finance available, depending on your business needs:

• bank finance
• equity finance
• venture capital
• business angels
• crowdfunding
• financing from friends and family

Generally, investors are more willing to fund an invention once the prototype stage is reached. They are also more likely to consider your project if you prepare a business plan.

Government funding for inventors

Grants may be available that could help finance part of your project. Our guidance will help you find innovation, research and development grants. Another source of funding may be government's funding competitions, such as through small business research initiative or other Innovate UK funding competitions.

You may also want to learn about the support available for product development from Invest Northern Ireland.

Inventors can claim tax relief and credits on appropriate research and development (R&D) spending. See more on Research and Development (R&D) tax reliefs.

Innovation Vouchers

If you need external expertise to help with an innovation project, you may want to consider applying for Innovation Vouchers. The vouchers are worth up to £5000 and allow you to access skills and expertise from one of the 39 registered knowledge providers (eg universities and colleges) through the island of Ireland. Find out more about Invest Northern Ireland Innovation Vouchers.

In the video below, Ian Hawthorne - owner of Hawthorne Crafts - explains how his business benefited from an Innovation Voucher.

There are three main ways of getting your invention to market. Each dictates different levels of investment in research and development, as well as company structuring and marketing. They also offer different levels of potential return on investment.

The three commercialisation options are:

• licensing
• producing and selling it yourself
• collaborating with another business or with a university

You could also decide to sell your invention outright. This will give you a one-off payment but will not generate any long-term income.

1. Licensing your invention

Licensing the use of your intellectual property means selling the rights, either for a set amount at the outset or, more usually, for royalties whenever the idea is used, as set out in a legal agreement.

You may find a potential licensee by researching businesses that could use your intellectual property. Ask them to sign a confidentiality agreement before you reveal your idea. Read more about non-disclosure agreements.

Licensing enables inventors to gain income without investing resource and time into producing the product themselves. In addition, a licensor will often have more industry knowledge and ready access to markets.

2. Manufacturing and selling your product yourself

You can develop and produce your invention yourself. This is likely to be expensive but all profits and success will belong to you. You may be able to attract funding if you have a good business plan. See how to prepare a business plan and how to use your business plan to get funding.

Sources of funding include grants, tax relief and credits, and venture capital. Find out how to attract funding for your invention.

3. Working with others

Collaborating with another business or university allows you to share the costs and work, although it may mean you'll have to split the profits.

A variety of grant funding is available for collaboration between innovative businesses and academic institutions. Read more about Invest NI's collaborative working support.

More guidance on the commercialisation of new ideas is available from Innovate NI. You can also watch below their short animation on the basics of the commercialisation process.