Quick backstory: I'm very interested in a particular niche of the tech sector. I studied it in school. Did research on it. Have a very promising (but unlaunched) side-project in the field.

I'm also recently employed by a prominent company in the field. Talking about my experience in the field is what got me the job.

Several months ago, when I signed on, I got the standard "list your prior IP" form. I listed my side-project IP. I got the "I'll have to clear this with some people..." response from HR, then heard nothing. 3+ months pass, until this week. Seems we have a problem.

From what I've heard, there are two issues:

1. Due diligence of an acquiring company would find the simple act of me having this IP "too risky." IDK why, as I'm not claiming any of the company IP and the contract stipulates that if I inject my IP into their business they are granted a perpetual non-exclusive license. Seems fine to me to simply list it.

2. If I were to develop this product, it could theoretically compete with the company's product. It would only do this under the broadest sense of the field we're in. I can kind of understand this. They are still worried though, regardless of if I actually develop the product, that my simply having the IP makes this too risky. Seems as if they WILL NOT have me with the IP listed, regardless of non-compete clauses or whatever.

So, my options or potential outcomes as I see them:

Don't list my prior IP on the paper, keep my job. (This isn't the company's stance, but I assume I would retain claim to the IP via my papertrail of work from well before I started the job if I really need to prove it eventually).

List the prior IP, they "don't hire me" (despite me having worked there for months) and I'm de facto fired/quit.

List the IP, pitch them in the meeting, and have them acquire the IP. Work for the company to develop the product. (This would be an extremely unlikely scenario, don't even want to think about terms right now).

Somehow convince them that the product is far enough away from their product that it isn't a conflict. It sounds as if this will be unlikely as well.

Eff, this sucks. How do any companies expect to acquire domain experts without some prior IP baggage they've picked up along the way?

Someone talk me through it. Like I said, I love the field. I love the company. I love my side-project. Can't I just keep doing it all? :(