Trying To Do Business With Google

I have an idea for Google. My dilemma is that the idea is so simple and so obvious that, if I so much as hint at it, it will be gone and it is an idea that is worth (to Google, anyway) One Billion Dollars!

I could do all sorts of silly things to patent it, protect it, bring in heavyweight partners, negotiate in tandem with Yahoo (viable 2nd choice) or MSN (kind of like having a Heisman Trophy and having to play for the Raiders) to put the squeeze on them etc. but, frankly, I'm very busy and that would take a lot of time and effort.

Also, having started several businesses from scratch, I would rather just give them an idea and collect a fair percentage of the revenues for doing nothing, and Google certainly has the wherewithal to do that for me.

So I decided to take a leap of faith and reach out directly to Google figuring, at one point, all Sergey and Larry had was an idea and a dream and they could probably relate.

Google has, on their web site, a place to submit ideas. I suppose they hope you will call it a suggestion you want to "share," but I clicked the button marked "patent."

Luckily I have another idea that is also very cool but probably isn't worth too much money so I filled in the little boxes and I told them I'd meet with them re. the first and we'll see how it goes before I tell them the second.

This is what I got back:

Thank you for your note. While we are not able to personally respond to all proposals, please be assured that we review every email we receive. If your proposal matches our current business and technology development needs, a Google representative will be in touch with you shortly. If your email is not related to business development, we encourage you to submit your message through the online contact form at http://www.google.com/support/

We appreciate your interest in Google, and thank you for taking the time to write.

Regards,

The Google Team

Come on guys, don't ask for ideas and then give your customers such a cheesy response! I'm sure they get a million suggestions but this response really puts me off...

When I ran a company we got all of our best ideas from listening to our clients -- they are your most valuable resource!

Still, I'm waiting until after the holidays as I'm too busy until then, but I thought it would be interesting to keep you in the loop as I am fairly positive that, one way or the other, I will be commercializing this idea by next year.

I'll take you through the process -- it'll be fun!

Read all of Phil Davis's articles on Seeking Alpha

Comments

[Byrne Hobart:]

As far as I know, VCs don't suffer from a shortage of good ideas; they suffer from a shortage of people able and willing to translate good ideas into viable businesses.

2006 Dec 11 11:45 AM

[Philip Davis:]

Been there done that! You're right though, that's why they throw so much money at CEO's, they are like star pitchers, you just can't find someone else who can do it...

If it were one of those things, I would want to run it myself but this is an idea like saying to Amazon - how about if people could complete a purchase and have it shipped to themselves and charge their account all with just one click?

It’s so simple that once you say it, it’s done.

By the way, I always objected to that patent as the Jetsons had it 30 years earlier!

So that’s the problem. So simple, so obvious, so much money to be made that it’s hard to trust anyone with it. I’ve spoken to my lawyer of course but he’s not a patent guy and I have patented things before and it’s not all it’s cracked up to be as you have to be willing to spend mega-bucks defending your patent.

The route I need to go is to get funding and start the business so it’s out there enough that no one can deny our “in-use” patent but that will require a ton of funding and people and investors who get a cut and massive amounts of time and effort when all I really want is a peice of the action so I can get back to my writing…

I just “retired” from running a large company 2 years ago, I am not looking to start another one up just to sell it and I’m certainly not delusional enough to think that over the long haul I won’t get marginalized by GOOG, YHOO, MSN who will all come up with some version of my idea once they see it.

I need a big boy in my corner from day one, one that will have first mover advantage and the ability to monetize it. Look at YouTube, already fostering competition from all corners, and that doesn’t even make any money yet.

My idea is accretive to any search company from day one.

2006 Dec 11 05:57 PM