Okay heres my question...

If I have an idea that I could possibly develop with the help of another company...how would I go about proposing it to them? Yes I could call, email, fax etc. But my question is how would I do this without risking my concept/idea being stolen by this company and developed without my involvement? Is there a standard way of going about this legally? Assuming the company is based in the United States? I know theres a disclosure form or something similiar, but then you have to convince them to sign it, and why woul said company care if you couldnt tell them anything until the contract was signed?

If anyone has experience in this it would be greatly appreciated. Im looking to turn to a company with the proper funds/resources/connections to develop an idea with great potential, but at the same time I dont want to lose the idea to them.

Regards,

-nocturnix

Make a business plan. Usually one of the first pages of a business plan has a confidentiality agreement in it they must sign prior to looking at it. The business plan is what they will be looking for if you are serious. They want to see that you have thought everything through, see a potential for profit, etc. I don't think emailing them some one paragraph idea will get you anywhere.

You are right...

Damnit, I wish I were at that "point" in the educational process of a business major. Unfortunately I know VERY little about writing a business plan! I cant wait another year to learn this...guess despite the pricetag of a college education, I am still teaching myself the important stuff...::sigh:: any useful links?

Search on google for "Business plan examples" or templates or something, there are plenty of examples to get you started. You also can look into software that guides you through the process and gives examples, such as Business Plan Pro 2003, although pricey.