Entrepreneurship Archives

What Is Patent Infringement?

Patent infringement is when someone else uses your patented idea without permission. The strict, legal definition is when someone infringes or performs every limitation of at least one patent claim. This is found in 35 USC 271. Many inventors and entrepreneurs believe that having a patent means they are “protected.” Having a patent just means…

How Patent Pools Work

Patent pools and standards essential patents are the Holy Grail of intellectual property. Patent pools are sophisticated ways that companies can bring technology together, cross license them, and license that package of intellectual property to the market. For many major technologies, such as Bluetooth, MPEG, 3G, 4G, and even electric vehicle charging, companies have banded…

IP Due Diligence Checklist

Due diligence is essential for any business deal, and IP due diligence is shockingly left out of the equation for most angel investors and venture capital investors. Due diligence is hard work. Doing it well will get your hands dirty. Introduction to IP Due Diligence Any due diligence exercise, especially IP due diligence, involves turning…

Only Gullible Angel Investors fall for Provisional Patents

Provisional patent applications are the worst things for angel investors. What is a provisional patent application? A provisional patent application, sometimes called a “provisional” or “PPA,” is the single worst thing a startup can do to “protect” themselves. And angel investors have been led to believe that this is a good strategy. I assure you,…

Adding to the Skill Stack

One of the smartest things I ever did was to take a job with the intention of adding to my skill stack. I have recommended this to several budding entrepreneurs who are planning on launching a business: take a job in a field where you want more expertise, or one which will help you understand…

How long does it take to get a patent?

It takes, on average, 2-4 years to get a patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office. But, you can change the speed based on your filing strategy. The chart above shows how long a patent was pending for the patents that issued to Small Entities in the first quarter of 2021. The blue…

Provisional Patent Applications Hurt Startups

Bad Strategies for Startup Patents The patent bar does a terrible job of serving smaller clients – and provisional patent applications are a glaring example. In fact, they are taking advantage of them and causing harm to the clients they are supposed to serve. The graph shows a recent snapshot of office actions over the…

Do Startups Give Up On Their Patents?

Patent valuation can be inferred from how much effort an applicant puts into their patent. One of the common criteria for the more sophisticated patent scoring algorithms is the number of continuation applications. Having a pending application in a patent family is a huge asset. A pending application allows you to create new patent claims…

The S-Curve, Innovation, and Intellectual Property

Every technology grows on an “S-curve.” The S-curve cycle is where an idea is born, then it struggles to get product-market fit through infancy. Once it begins to get traction, there is a period of growth, after which the technology levels out and eventually declines. You can think of the S-curve as the growth cycle…

2020 Has Been The Best Year

Retrospective On 2020 I am sad to see 2020 go. It has been a monumental year in many ways. Lots of things were shaken very hard, and many things broke under the stress, but many things were improved. Life is consistent about one thing: change. You can choose to complain that things are not what…