Are your slides high level stuff (that is available on your website, for example) or do they provide detailed info regarding your propriretary system? If it is only high level, publicly available stuff, you don't need an NDA (and an NDA probably wouldn't protect it anyway).
In general, if you truly have something of value that you want to share, then you need to engage an actual attorney and spend real money. An attorney who works in tech on a daily basis, not your friend's friend who handles DUIs and family law matters.
There is no such thing as a "general NDA." That's as weak as "legal boilerplate." Every word has meaning and can affect your rights.
If you send a big tech company your NDA, they will most likely laugh at you. Then they'll say "here's our form - sign it so we are each protected."
But it will be very one sided and will give you almost zero protection. What your contact says the NDA form says and does and what it actually says and does will likely be very different.
You likely won't have much negotiating power to modify the big company's form (unless it really, really, really wants what you have). Most likely your counsel will only get through a few relatively minor changes. The main value for you will be that he or she will be able to clearly explain to you what the NDA does and does not cover and what exactly you need to do to protect your information.
In the end, it will still be a risk acceptance exercise for you. And you will be balancing your desire to earn the business with the chance the company will rip you off. But you should know exactly where you stand legally (at least according to the terms of the NDA), what info and coversations are protected and which aren't, etc.
Basically, accept whatever risks you think are appropriate, but don't fly blind. Relying on a "general NDA" not reviewed by your own counsel could be very close to flying blind.
In general, if you truly have something of value that you want to share, then you need to engage an actual attorney and spend real money. An attorney who works in tech on a daily basis, not your friend's friend who handles DUIs and family law matters.
There is no such thing as a "general NDA." That's as weak as "legal boilerplate." Every word has meaning and can affect your rights.
If you send a big tech company your NDA, they will most likely laugh at you. Then they'll say "here's our form - sign it so we are each protected."
But it will be very one sided and will give you almost zero protection. What your contact says the NDA form says and does and what it actually says and does will likely be very different.
You likely won't have much negotiating power to modify the big company's form (unless it really, really, really wants what you have). Most likely your counsel will only get through a few relatively minor changes. The main value for you will be that he or she will be able to clearly explain to you what the NDA does and does not cover and what exactly you need to do to protect your information.
In the end, it will still be a risk acceptance exercise for you. And you will be balancing your desire to earn the business with the chance the company will rip you off. But you should know exactly where you stand legally (at least according to the terms of the NDA), what info and coversations are protected and which aren't, etc.
Basically, accept whatever risks you think are appropriate, but don't fly blind. Relying on a "general NDA" not reviewed by your own counsel could be very close to flying blind.