Petito · Sälja idé
Selling an idea in Sweden — the complete guide.
Can you actually sell an idea? Yes, when it's documented. This is the complete guide: how it works in Swedish contract law, what a documented idea is worth, where to sell it, and how Petito handles the marketplace, timestamping and contracts in one surface.
- Marketplace built for documented ideas
- On-chain timestamping at every revision
- Contracts signed inside the platform
The legal answer
Can you actually sell an idea?
Yes. A documented idea — a concept, system, method, prototype or business plan — can be sold or licensed to another party. The Swedish legal basis is regular contract law (avtalsrätt); no patent or special registration is required. The buyer pays for the documentation, the timestamped authorship proof and the time-to-market advantage. Platforms like Petito handle the marketplace and contract flow.
Valuation
How much is an idea worth?
An undocumented idea is worth approximately zero. A documented idea with on-chain timestamping, a clear target market and a working prototype typically licenses for 5–15% royalty on revenue or a lump sum between 25 000 and 500 000 SEK depending on sector. Patentable, validated concepts in regulated industries (medtech, fintech) reach 7-figure SEK valuations. The valuation gap between 'thought' and 'documented case' is the largest single multiplier.
Where to sell
Three channels in Sweden.
Petito (petito.se) — Swedish marketplace specifically for documented, timestamped ideas, with built-in licensing contracts. Direct outreach to team and investors in the target sector via LinkedIn or Sting/YC networks. IP brokers for patentable technology. Petito is the default for software, content, methodology and process licensing without an existing patent.
Patent vs no patent
Do you need a patent before selling?
No, with one exception. A patent makes a hardware or pharma idea sellable at higher valuations because it gives the buyer a legal monopoly. For software, content, methods, templates and business concepts, a patent is rarely needed — what matters is timestamped documentation proving authorship and a clear scope of what is being sold. Sweden's PRV explicitly does not patent pure business concepts.
Sell or license?
Default to non-exclusive licensing.
Sell once for higher upfront, walk away with no upside. License for ongoing royalty income, multiple buyers possible (non-exclusive) and continued ownership — typically better lifetime value if the idea has multi-market potential. Default: license non-exclusively first, sell exclusively only when the lump sum exceeds 5x estimated lifetime royalty.
Snabba svar
Hur säljer jag en affärsidé?
Att sälja en idé i Sverige kräver tre steg: skydda den juridiskt först (NDA, eventuellt patentansökan), paketera den som ett säljbart erbjudande (problem, marknad, bevis, pris), och kanalisera den till rätt köpare. Norrhavet driver Petito som infrastrukturen för det.
Continue
Document, list, license.
Petito is the Swedish idea marketplace inside Norrhavet's toolbox. Document and timestamp the idea, list it for licensing or sale, sign contracts in the platform — free to use, transparent percentage only when a deal closes.
Frequently asked
Selling an idea — FAQ.
Can you actually sell an idea?+
Yes. A documented idea can be sold or licensed to another party. The Swedish legal basis is regular contract law (avtalsrätt); no patent or special registration is required. The buyer pays for the documentation, the timestamped authorship proof and the time-to-market advantage.
How much is an idea worth?+
An undocumented idea is worth approximately zero. A documented idea with timestamping, a clear target market and a working prototype typically licenses for 5–15% royalty or a lump sum between 25 000 and 500 000 SEK depending on sector. Patentable concepts in regulated industries reach 7-figure SEK valuations.
Where do you sell a startup idea in Sweden?+
Three channels: Petito (petito.se) for documented, timestamped ideas with built-in licensing contracts; direct outreach to sector team via LinkedIn or Sting/YC; IP brokers for patentable technology. Petito is the default for software, content, methodology and process licensing without an existing patent.
Do you need a patent before selling?+
No, with one exception. A patent makes a hardware or pharma idea sellable at higher valuations. For software, content, methods, templates and business concepts, a patent is rarely needed — what matters is timestamped documentation and a clear scope of what is being sold.
Should you sell the idea or license it?+
Sell once for higher upfront, walk away with no upside. License for ongoing royalty income, multiple buyers possible (non-exclusive) and continued ownership — typically better lifetime value if the idea has multi-market potential. Default: license non-exclusively first, sell exclusively only when the lump sum exceeds 5x estimated lifetime royalty.
How long does it take to sell an idea?+
From documentation to first qualified match: typically 2–4 weeks on Petito for sectors with active buyers (SaaS, retail tech, climate, B2B services). From match to signed contract: another 2–8 weeks depending on negotiation complexity. Total: usually 1–3 months for non-exclusive licensing, 3–6 months for exclusive sales.
What does the contract need to contain?+
Eight clauses: scope, territory, exclusivity, term, payment structure (royalty rate, lump sum, hybrid), reporting and audit rights, termination conditions, IP attribution and confidentiality. Petito generates standard Swedish/EU-compliant templates and handles digital signing inside the platform — both parties countersign before any payment moves.