FAQ
Please email Eric Finkelstein, Vice President of Business Support, at EFinkelstein@IdeasTradingCenter.com, describing how you can contribute to ITC’s mission and outlining your expectations. Please attach your résumé and any relevant supporting materials.
Submitted ideas undergo administrative review to confirm that required information is complete and that the submission complies with ITC’s written requirements. ITC does not assess novelty, inventiveness, technical merit, or commercial potential.
No. ITC does not provide legal, patent, tax, financial, or investment advice. Users are strongly encouraged to consult qualified professional advisors before submitting, evaluating, purchasing, or commercializing any idea or filed PPA.
Yes. All financial transactions are processed through secure, encrypted payment gateways designed to protect user data and transaction integrity.
ITC provides a streamlined, efficient, and cost-effective platform that enables:
- rapid access to acquisition-ready filed
PPAs; - standardized, transparent pricing;
- first-come, first-served transactions;
- secure handling of payments and
documentation; and
reduced
friction compared to traditional IP sourcing methods
ITC is an independent, neutral platform that
facilitates the listing and transfer of filed Provisional Patent
Applications (PPAs). ITC is not a party to any transaction between
idea originators/sellers and PPA evaluators or buyers.
ITC does not:
- promote or endorse any idea or filed PPA;
- evaluate, judge, assign value to, or
guarantee any idea or PPA; - assess technical feasibility, commercial
viability, or patentability; - participate in negotiations between
sellers and buyers; or - engage in or resolve legal disputes
between parties.
All
evaluations, due diligence, and commercial decisions are the sole
responsibility of the evaluator or buyer.
Yes. By accessing or using the ITC website, or by communicating with ITC via email or telephone, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and accepted ITC’s Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Continued use of the website constitutes ongoing acceptance
All inventions listed on Ideas Trading Center (ITC) are filed with the
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as provisional patent applications
(PPAs). The USPTO independently classifies each invention under its own patent
classification systems (such as the Cooperative Patent Classification, CPC) for
examination and prior-art review.
For marketplace presentation and buyer discovery purposes only, ITC
independently organizes each filed PPA according to the Nice International
Classification of Goods and Services. Each filed PPA is placed in one—and only
one—Nice class that best matches its most likely commercial product or service,
so buyers can find relevant opportunities quickly and with clear expectations.
Nice classification on ITC does not affect patent scope, validity,
enforceability, or USPTO examination. It is used solely as a commercial
categorization framework reflecting how potential buyers typically search for
products and services.
In short, USPTO classification governs patent examination, while ITC Nice
classification supports commercial discovery and buyer relevance.
The Ideas Trading Center (ITC) is an independent facilitator, and is neither a party to nor involved in any business transaction between the originator/seller of ideas and reviewer(s) or buyer(s) of ideas. ITC does not promote any idea but merely makes it available to prospective reviewers and/or buyers. ITC does not evaluate, judge, assign value to, or develop a prototype for any idea, nor does it assess the feasibility of any idea. Prospective reviewers and/or buyers are fully responsible for independently evaluating ideas. There is no guarantee that a seller's idea will be reviewed or purchased by a prospective reviewer or buyer. ITC will not participate in any legal disputes that may arise between idea reviewers/buyers and idea sellers.
The ITC platform for selling and buying ideas is simple, efficient, versatile, low-cost, and fast, delivering benefits to both idea sellers and reviewers/buyers.
All transactions are processed through secure payment gateways and encrypted to ensure data safety.
In addition to various reality checks and confirmations in the idea registration form, submitted ideas are examined by ITC prior to acceptance to ensure compliance with the written requirements for completing the idea registration form.
You must be an accredited investor and meet other criteria established by the Company in its sole discretion. Please fill out and submit the form by clicking the "Like to Invest in ITC?" tab on the homepage.
Please contact us at info@IdeasTradingCenter.com or call (908) 481-9899.
Success varies based on idea quality, completeness of submission, and market demand. ITC does not guarantee sales.
No. Complete and accurate identification is required.
Yes. Accepted ideas may be converted into filed Provisional Patent Applications (PPAs) by ITC.
Yes. Sellers may request removal by emailing ideaexaminer@IdeasTradingCenter.com from their registered email address. Requests are verified prior to removal.
Information is used solely for platform operations related to evaluation and sale. ITC places a high priority on data protection. Please review ITC’s Privacy Policy for details.
Abstracts are non-enabling, market-oriented summaries. Additionally, all PPAs are filed with the USPTO, establishing priority protection.
No. Once submitted, ideas cannot be altered.
Listings remain active for six (6) months. If not sold within that period, they are automatically removed.
Processing times vary, but the typical review and preparation period is approximately two weeks, depending on submission volume and completeness.
Please consult:
https://ideastradingcenter.com/collections/classes-of-goods-products
No. Transactions operate strictly on a first-come, first-served basis. ITC does not disclose evaluator or buyer credentials prior to a completed transaction.
Yes. There is no limit to the number of ideas or filed PPAs a seller may submit.
Currently, PayPal is the only payment method available for idea submission fees. Sellers must open a free PayPal account using the same email address provided in the idea registration form. All payments are final, with no cancellations, returns, or refunds.
A non-refundable examination fee of $20 (USD) is charged at the time of submission, regardless of whether the idea is accepted.
A non-refundable examination fee of $20 (USD) will be charged to your PayPal account, regardless of whether your idea is accepted for registration.
Idea sellers should open a free PayPal account (www.paypal.com) immediately after submitting the idea registration form, using the same email address provided in the idea registration form. All payments and financial transactions are final, with no cancellations, returns, or refunds.
Yes.
The idea buyer could be interested to contact idea seller.
No, as ideas will be sold on the basis of “first come, first served.”
If you’re unsure about which class of goods and services your idea falls into, the platform provides resources or guides to help you categorize your idea accurately. Consult: https://ideastradingcenter.com/collections/classes-of-goods-products
The approval process for an idea on the ITC website can vary, but it generally takes one day to a few days. The exact timeframe may depend on the volume of submissions and how good idea registration form is completed.
The shelf life of an idea on the ITC website is six (6) months. If during that time, idea is not sold, the idea will automatically be removed from the ITC website.
You should make your best effort, as you are responsible for the quality of the idea you submit, and you will need to confirm several questions at the end of the idea registration form.
No, once an idea is submitted, it cannot be altered.
Yes, as long as your entire idea has not been sold.
Reviewing Summary Descriptions is conditional and contingent upon the buyer declaring that they have “read, understood, and agreed to the terms of the above agreement” before proceeding to checkout. The restrictive terms of the agreement for reviewing ideas are clearly stated and can be found in the next section, Frequent Questions by Idea Reviewers/Buyers.
Your information is solely used for review and/or sale to buyers. ITC places a very high value on information protection. For more detailed information, please take a look at our Privacy Policy.
Only idea sellers can request removal of their idea. You need to send an email to ideaexaminer@IdeasTradingCenter.com from your registered email address, providing full information about your idea. Upon verification of your request, your idea will be removed.
ITC values privacy; please review our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy for more information.
Yes.
No. You need to identify yourself by properly and completely fill out the idea registration form.
The success rate varies depending on the idea itself, the quality of the completed idea registration form, how well it meets market demand, and the fairness of its selling price.
No. Prices are fixed.
As a courtesy administrative service, Ideas Trading Center (ITC) records the executed Assignment & Transfer of the purchased PPA with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on behalf of the buyer. ITC’s role in recordation is strictly administrative. The buyer remains fully responsible for the legal effect, accuracy of ownership information, and any subsequent filings or enforcement related to the PPA. ITC does not provide legal advice and makes no representations or warranties regarding the legal sufficiency or outcome of any recordation.
Prior to purchase, you must agree in writing that the PPA is acquired “as is,” without representations or warranties of any kind; all payments are final and non-refundable; the originator(s) have contractually agreed to irrevocably assign all rights, title, and interest in the PPA to the buyer; refrain from disclosure, use, commercialization, or transfer following assignment; and execute all documents reasonably required to affect the transfer. Upon ITC’s written confirmation and receipt of cleared funds, all rights transfer to the buyer. ITC performs no due diligence, and all diligence is the buyer’s responsibility. The buyer is solely responsible for filing any Non-Provisional Patent Application within twelve (12) months of the PPA filing date.
Evaluators must execute a Confidential Evaluation Agreement and pay the applicable evaluation fee.
Limited background information is provided. Full contact occurs only after purchase.
Yes. ITC covers a broad range of goods and services classifications.
Each filed PPA may be sold only once. Sold PPAs are immediately removed from the platform.
ITC does not participate in disputes. Buyers may contact sellers directly after purchase.
No. Abstracts are provided “as is.”
No.
No.
Subscribers receive immediate alerts when newly filed PPAs in selected classes are posted.
No. All transactions are final.
No.
No. Prices are fixed.
Prior to purchase, you must agree in writing that the PPA is acquired “as is,” without representations or warranties of any kind; all payments are final and non-refundable; the originator(s) have contractually agreed to irrevocably assign all rights, title, and interest in the PPA to the buyer; refrain from disclosure, use, commercialization, or transfer following assignment; and execute all documents reasonably required to effect the transfer. Upon ITC’s written confirmation and receipt of cleared funds, all rights transfer to the buyer. ITC performs no due diligence, and all diligence is the buyer’s responsibility. The buyer is solely responsible for filing any Non-Provisional Patent Application within twelve (12) months of the PPA filing date.
Evaluators must execute a Confidential Evaluation Agreement and pay the applicable evaluation fee.
Before proceeding to checkout for reviewing Summary Description (SD) of an idea, you need to accept that you have read, understood, and agreed to the terms of the SD reviewing “Agreement”:
- You review the Summary Description “as is”.
- You understand that your payment is final; there are no returns or refunds.
- You are not and will not be the owner of the summary description of the idea you reviewed. No rights, title, or interest in the reviewed summary description will be transferred to you.
- You will not, directly or indirectly, disclose the reviewed summary description or idea to any third party, copy it, permit copies to be made, reduce it to practice in any form or shape, or make any commercial or public use of the idea.
- You will not file any patent application based on this idea in any country; if such an application is filed, it will be legally invalid, null, and void.
Before buying an entire idea, you need to agree in writing that:
- You buy the entire idea "as is".
- You understand that your payment is final; there are no returns or refunds.
- The seller of the idea has contractually declared in the idea registration form and agreed to grant and assign any and all intellectual and legal rights to the idea to the buyer. The seller will no longer have any legal or intellectual rights to the idea and will not disclose or transfer the idea to a third party, reduce it to practice, or make any commercial or public use of it. Furthermore, the idea seller has agreed to comply in a timely manner with any request from the buyer to execute any assignment, recordation of assignment, declaration, or any other document necessary to facilitate the transfer of ownership, and to cooperate with any request from the buyer to facilitate the patenting or copyright process.
- Upon full payment of the purchase price, all rights, title, and interest in the idea are transferred to the buyer.
- Buyer understands that ITC has not performed any due diligence regarding the ownership of the idea, and it is buyer’s sole responsibility to conduct due diligence into the idea's ownership.
- Buyers understands that for patent protection of the idea, he/she must file a patent application in the U.S. within 12 months from the date the idea appeared on the ITC website for review.
No, prices are set by the idea sellers and are fixed. All payments and financial transactions are final, with no cancellations, returns, or refunds.
No.
All payments are final; there are no cancellations, returns or refunds.
You will receive an “ITC Idea Alert” as soon as a new idea in class(es) you have subscribed to is posted on the ITC website.
No.
No.
No. Summary Descriptions are provided "as is".
No, you may contact the idea seller to resolve the issue. However, ITC will not get involved in any form or shape in the legal disputes between idea reviewers/buyers and idea sellers.
You may contact the idea seller to resolve the issue. However, ITC will not get involved in any form or shape in the legal disputes between idea reviewers/buyers and idea sellers.
Ideas on the ITC website can only be sold once. As soon as an idea is sold, it is automatically removed from the ITC website.
Yes, turning ideas into profit works for both physical products and digital solutions, including app concepts, software services, and more. The platform caters to various industries, so you can check out the list of goods and services available. Consult https://ideastradingcenter.com/collections/classes-of-goods-products.
Sellers provide basic background information about themselves in the idea registration form. After purchasing the idea, you may wish to contact the seller.