Frequently asked questions

Gather the Spark is a platform for inventors that combines AI-guided invention tools, lightweight database scans, NDA-supported messaging, and a directory of reviewed service providers. It is designed to help inventors organize early ideas and connect with the people who can help move them forward.

Gather the Spark serves three groups: inventors shaping early ideas into something more, service providers (CAD designers, prototypers, patent attorneys, marketers, manufacturers, and others) who help inventions take shape, and investors interested in invention-stage opportunities.

No. Gather the Spark is built for first-time inventors as well as experienced ones. The AI-guided tools walk you through capturing and shaping an idea so you do not need to know the invention process going in.

Yes. Many inventors arrive with only a rough concept or a sentence describing a problem. The platform is designed to help you take an idea from that early stage and give it more shape over time.

No. You do not need a patent, application, or any other filing to use Gather the Spark. Whether or not to pursue formal patent protection is a separate decision, and one we recommend discussing with a qualified patent professional.

Gather the Spark does not claim ownership of the ideas or materials you create on the platform. However, an invention is not legally protected simply because it was created or saved here. Patent rights, trademarks, and other protections depend on formal filings and whether similar rights already exist.

No. Saving an idea on Gather the Spark does not, on its own, create patent, trademark, or other intellectual property protection. Formal protection requires the appropriate filings, and outcomes depend on factors outside the platform.

Similar ideas are common in invention. GTS database scans can surface related concepts and adjacent work to help you make more informed decisions, but they are not exhaustive. A qualified patent professional can give you a clearer picture of how your idea relates to existing rights.

For questions about patentability, freedom to operate, or formal IP strategy, yes. Gather the Spark is a platform for organization and connection — it does not provide legal advice. Patent attorneys are available among our reviewed service providers.

You can choose what to share and where, but public disclosure can affect your future options for patent protection in some jurisdictions. Many inventors talk with a patent professional before sharing widely.

Inventions on Gather the Spark are private by default. You decide what to share, with whom, and when. Internal collaboration and conversations are not broadcast publicly.

No. Gather the Spark does not publish invention names, descriptions, or details to a public-facing index. Visibility is controlled by you within the platform.

NDA-supported messaging is available for moments when a conversation involves private invention details — for example, when sharing context with a service provider or, where appropriate, with an investor. Both sides see and acknowledge the agreement before that conversation continues.

No. NDAs and patents serve different purposes. An NDA can support a confidential conversation, but it does not, on its own, establish patent rights or other formal IP protection.

Yes. You choose who you invite into a project, who you message, and when an NDA is in place. Sharing is opt-in and project-by-project.

Credits are used when you run AI-powered actions on the platform — for example, generating a visual concept, running a GTS database scan, or producing a structured breakdown of an idea. Lighter actions cost fewer credits than heavier ones.

Each plan includes a monthly allotment of credits along with access to the platform's invention tools, NDA-supported messaging, and the service provider directory. Specific inclusions are listed on the pricing page.

Unused credits do not roll over from one billing cycle to the next. Plans are sized so most inventors comfortably use what they need within a cycle, and you can top up if you want more headroom in a given month.

Pricing may be adjusted over time as the platform evolves. If pricing for an existing plan changes, current customers will be notified in advance.

Yes. You can upgrade, downgrade, or change plans from your account settings at any time. Changes take effect at the start of your next billing cycle unless otherwise noted.

Service providers are professionals who support invention work — CAD designers, prototypers, patent attorneys, marketers, manufacturers, and other invention-focused specialists who have applied to be part of Gather the Spark.

Service providers go through a review before appearing on the platform. The review looks at their relevant experience and how they intend to work with inventors. Review is not a guarantee of outcomes; it is a baseline for who shows up in the directory.

Yes. You can browse and message reviewed service providers across these disciplines through the platform. Conversations that involve private invention details can use NDA-supported messaging.

No. Gather the Spark introduces inventors to reviewed professionals, but the work, timeline, and outcome of any engagement are between you and that professional. We do not guarantee specific results from third-party providers.

Yes. Many inventions involve multiple disciplines, and you can engage with multiple providers — for example, a CAD designer and a prototyper, or a patent attorney and a marketer — at whatever pace fits your project.

Investors only see what you choose to make visible to them. Investor pathways are optional and only used when you decide it is the right moment for that kind of conversation.

No. Gather the Spark does not guarantee funding for any invention. Funding is a separate decision made by individual investors based on their own criteria.

Investors make their own funding decisions independently. Gather the Spark does not approve, recommend, or commit funding on anyone's behalf.

No. We cannot guarantee that any specific invention will attract investor interest. The platform makes connection and discovery more practical, but interest depends on the invention, the market, and the investor.

When an investor conversation involves private invention details, NDA-supported messaging is available so both sides can acknowledge confidentiality before the conversation continues. Whether an NDA is used in a given conversation depends on the context and the inventor's preferences.

No. GTS database scans are designed to surface related concepts and adjacent work within our knowledge base. They are not a substitute for a comprehensive patent search performed by a qualified patent professional.

No. Gather the Spark is a platform for organization, connection, and collaboration. We do not provide legal advice. For legal questions — including patentability, ownership, and contracts — please consult a qualified attorney.

No. Market success depends on many factors outside the platform, including timing, execution, and demand. Gather the Spark provides tools and connections, not guarantees of commercial outcomes.

Lightweight market testing features are something we may add in the future, but they are not part of the platform today. We would rather be straightforward about what is and is not available than imply features that are still on the roadmap.