Examples of Patents in Business
Using Patents as Blackmail
A case study on why you need the right inventors agreements for a startup: a former employee turns patent troll. My company finances patents for small to medium sized companies, so I often get inquires from people who want to build out a patent portfolio. A while ago, I received a call from an inventor…
Read MoreTerminal Disclaimers – One for the Price of Two
Terminal disclaimers are costly for the client – but an easy money maker for patent attorneys. Terminal disclaimers are where you pay twice to get the same thing. They are a money maker for the USPTO – and your patent attorney. They should be avoided at all costs. In most cases, a terminal disclaimer is…
Read MoreValuable patents solve contradictions
Amazon’s One-Click patent is the epitome of “non-obviousness” Inventions are not obvious – they have to solve some kind of contradiction. This idea holds true for businesses. Startups that can solve a contradiction in the market have a particular advantage – and so do patents. One of the most talked-about inventions 10 or 15 years…
Read MoreVenture Capital Investments in Patent-Heavy Companies is Down Substantially
The Alliance of US Startups and Inventors for Jobs (USIJ) issued a report in July 2020 showing how Venture Capital has shied away from patent-intensive startups over most of the last two decades. This corresponds with the undermining of the US patent system through several Supreme Court cases during the period. You can get the…
Read MoreUSPTO Abandonment Rate Nearly Tripling Since COVID
Patents are being abandoned at historically high rates, pointing to a lack of confidence in the future. An updated analysis by BlueIron shows that the COVID crisis has markedly affected business’s IP strategy. A previous analysis done in March is here. The abandonment rate has shot up since COVID started, especially for Small Entities, which…
Read MoreNational Family Support finds help with BlueIron
(Loveland, CO) National Family Support, Inc announces its first patent filed through BlueIron. National Family Support is rolling out a suite of services for managing child support payments. “With billions of dollars of delinquent child support payments nationally, we provide loans to parents who are behind – and we guarantee all future payments. This means…
Read MoreAutomed Gets Investment from BlueIron
Automed, Inc., the world’s leader in medication delivery for livestock based in Ames, Iowa, announces a patent financing arrangement with BlueIron of Loveland, Colorado. “We are able to get better patent protection and grow the company at the same time” says David Edwards, CEO of Automed. “Our patent expenses were getting ridiculously high, and we…
Read MoreEffects of COVID-19 on Patents – Twice The Number of Abandonments
As companies hunker down for the effects of the COVID-19 virus, they are abandoning their IP protection at TWICE the normal rate. And it is likely to go up much further. AND this has never happened before. BlueIron’s study looked at recent USPTO abandonments to see what, if any, effects were from COVID-19. The results…
Read MoreHow Big Law Hurts Startups
Many inventors and entrepreneurs like to tout their relationship with a Big Law Firm. It is too bad they do not know how the sausage gets made. Touting that Big Law wrote your patents is not a badge of quality I review countless patents for startup companies and talk to lots of entrepreneurs. One of…
Read MoreCramdowns, Receivership, Bankruptcy – Why Patent Financing is Good for Founders and Angels.
BlueIron’s patent financing puts your IP in a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) – an LLC that holds your patents. It can be thought of as a lease with a buyout option – similar to leasing a car. A special feature is that it can help you survive a cramdown, receivership, or bankruptcy of your portfolio…
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