How to react if someone with a startup idea wants you to sign an NDA

Sometimes, I get in touch with people claiming to have “game-changing” startup ideas. And from time to time it happens that they ask me to sign an NDA before I get the chance to give them any feedback or advice.

Well, here’s how I respond:

Oh, I’m afraid I can’t do that simply because there is a big chance that stuff you consider “proprietary information” is already part of my (unpublished) thinking.

You could then sue me for my own ideas that happen to be yours as well. That just doesn’t make sense to me. In my view, protecting ideas and concepts only works in theory because it’s talent and commitment that rule.

Of course, ideas have value, too, and it’s fair to state their ownership. But there’s probably more value in sharing ideas without the risk of lawsuits, and possibly generating even better ideas together.

Needless to say, I’m happy to join your thinking and share mine in a spirit of openness, and I hope you understand my concerns.

Feel free to consider this a boilerplate answer for your own use :)