Petito · IP
Protect an idea — patent, NDA or on-chain timestamping?
You can't patent a pure idea in Sweden — Swedish patent law requires a concrete invention. What you can do is timestamp the documented version on-chain so authorship is provable, sign an NDA for specific conversations, and use a platform like Petito that does both automatically.
- On-chain timestamping at every revision
- NDA templates included
- Free to document — pay only on closed deals
The legal reality
Can you patent an idea? No.
Swedish patent law (PRV) requires a technical solution to a technical problem, with a written description detailed enough that an expert could replicate it. A pure idea, a business concept or a market hypothesis is not patentable on its own. The working alternative is documented authorship — proven by on-chain timestamping — combined with NDAs for specific conversations.
Patent vs NDA vs timestamping
Three different tools — pick the right one.
Patent: legal monopoly on a concrete invention, 20-year protection, 25–75 kSEK to file plus annual fees, only works for inventions that pass novelty and inventive step. NDA: two-party contract for one specific conversation, free, but limited scope. On-chain timestamping: tamper-proof public record of when you authored the idea, free in Petito, works for any documented concept regardless of patentability.
How timestamping works
Tamper-proof authorship in four steps.
Write the idea down. Petito hashes the text (SHA-256) at every save. The hash is written to a public blockchain (Polygon or Bitcoin via OpenTimestamps). You receive a timestamp receipt that anyone can verify against the blockchain — proving the exact text existed in your name at the exact moment. The text itself stays private; only the hash is public.
What Petito adds
From protection to monetisation.
On-chain timestamping alone is just defence. Petito adds three offensive layers: an AI co-creator that turns the raw idea into a documented, market-ready concept, a marketplace that matches the concept with team and investors who want to license or build it, and a contract layer that signs licensing terms inside the platform — exclusive or non-exclusive, royalty or lump sum.
Snabba svar
Hur skyddar jag min idé innan jag pitchar den?
Skydda en idé i två lager: ett juridiskt sekretessavtal (NDA) innan första samtalet, och en eventuell patentansökan eller varumärkesregistrering om idén är teknisk eller bär ett namn. Petito tillhandahåller standard-NDA, signering och versionshistorik utan ombud.
Källor
Patent och registreringsverket (PRV) is the Swedish authority for patents, trademarks and design rights.
Continue
Document, timestamp and license — in one place.
Petito is the Swedish idea marketplace inside Norrhavet's toolbox. Documentation and timestamping are free; the marketplace earns a transparent percentage only when a deal closes. Open the product, or read the longer tool page on Norrhavet.
Frequently asked
Protecting an idea — FAQ.
Can you patent an idea in Sweden?+
No. Swedish patent law (PRV) requires a concrete invention — a technical solution to a technical problem — and a written description detailed enough that an expert could replicate it. A pure idea, a business concept or a market hypothesis is not patentable on its own. What you can patent is a specific embodiment of the idea once it has been built and described.
Is an NDA enough to protect an idea?+
An NDA covers one specific conversation with one specific counterpart. It is necessary when you share details with potential partners, investors or developers, but it does not give you a public claim of authorship and does not stop independent discovery. NDA is a tactical layer, not a strategic one.
What is on-chain timestamping of an idea?+
On-chain timestamping is the practice of hashing a written version of your idea and writing that hash to a public blockchain at a specific moment. The blockchain entry is a tamper-proof proof that the exact text existed at that time, in your name. It does not give you ownership of the underlying idea — but it does give you an unforgeable timeline if a dispute arises later.
How does Petito add to NDA and timestamping?+
Petito timestamps every revision automatically and adds three layers: an AI co-creator that turns the idea into a documented concept, a marketplace that connects you with team who want to license or build it, and a contract layer that signs licensing terms inside the same surface.
What if someone steals my idea anyway?+
With timestamped documentation in your name, the burden of proof shifts: the other party has to show they had the idea independently, before your timestamp. Combined with an NDA for the specific conversation, you have both a contract claim and a provenance claim — enough for most settlements without court.
What does it cost to protect an idea?+
A Swedish patent application typically costs 25 000–75 000 SEK in fees and counsel for filing alone, plus annual renewals. An NDA is free if drafted from a template. On-chain timestamping inside Petito is free — you only pay a percentage if a licensing deal closes through the marketplace.