An idea that has not been concretized cannot be protected. The only way to protect it in practice is to keep it secret.

Only the materialization of an idea is protectable. Depending on how the idea is concretized, the various intellectual property rights can play a role, such as

– patents for technical inventions;

– copyright for original creations;

– design rights for a new design;

– trademark rights for signs that serve to distinguish your products or services.

If you have an idea that is still under development, it may be useful to prove the idea. To have objective proof, you can register an i-depot with the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property or register it with the Registration Office (of the Department of Registration and Public Property of the Belgian Ministry of Finance).