How to maintain the confidentiality and authenticity of a business idea?

Hi everyone.

Have heard a lot about this great community, Fluther, and hence I am here to ask something really important. Hope that you will be willing to help…

I have done a lot of research on a topic and have developed a business idea. Now I want to develop it into a real world entity. For that I need back of investors and a lot of other things as well. I plan to acquire this by presenting my start up idea to meets. The question here is, what happens if someone from those in the meet sees my idea and then starts working on it by themselves? I know when you have a product, you can get it patented to secure it from this kind of theft but how to secure an idea from theft.

I hope my question is clear. Let me know if further clarification is needed and I’ll try to create a virtual scenario to simplify it further.

Looking for answers that can enlighten my way forward.

Regards