Take some videos of the thing working, and post them somewhere that you track and that's password protected. The reason for this is so that you can easily show one person at a VC firm, who, if excited, can easily show the rest. A working prototype is <i>the</i> litmus test for VCs, who by the nature of their trade can rarely be experts in everything.<p>If you've got the money to fast track a provisional patent, so that you can say "We've filed a provision patent," it will give you major credibility, more negotiating leverage, and in particular you'll have the IP that VCs want.<p>You definitely need to open the kimono a bit. In particular it is practically unheard of that a patent lawyer will screw you -- more often they will just take your money. A patent lawyer's entire career is ruined if they're caught stealing -- whereas you could probably still succeed by out-executing and out-innovating the competitors.<p>Best