My employment contract gives ibm rights to all the ideas I have while working here. As long as it’s related to ibm’s business it’s theirs.
Technically it’s not related to IBMs business except that it’s technology and someday it might earn money.
Should I try to get a waiver for ownership of the project?
Or should I just not tell them and hope it doesn’t bite me in the ass someday?
I’d appreciate any tips/suggestions. I’m not in California so not covered by my State.
Worst case scenarios:
- I tell them, they say no, they block me from working on it. I get depressed and lose all drive. I get fat but live out the rest of my life with a decent salary until I die alone.
- I don’t tell them. the app gains traction. I get hopeful. I look for investors. they ask about it. I have to tell them. investors threaten to back out. I try to get rights from ibm. They take the app. Everything falls to shit. My gf dumps me for some other guy. I get fat and go through a long period of depression. I get diabetes from stress eating Reese’s pieces. Im unemployed and don’t have health insurance so can’t get insulin. I die alone but my app turns IBM around and puts them back on top. FAANG is now any anagram of IANG (Facebook and Amazon are irrelevant after being broken up by president Bernie Sanders)
Help me decide my future
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Can’t hesitate with what if’s
The consultation is usually an hour or so and free. Some might want like <$100 though
I’ll be reaching out to an IP lawyer to get some options.