Patent Strategy
Writing Your Own Patent
Writing your own patent? Do a business plan first. Some inventors write their own patent applications. This can be a very valuable exercise because forcing yourself to put the invention down on paper can help you better understand the invention, as well as think through new versions of the invention. In many cases, these pro…
Read MoreThree Prongs to Find Patentable Ideas that Support Your Business Plan
Sophisticated patent owners take a very proactive approach to managing their patent portfolios. Patents are assets with a 20 year lifespan. They will almost always outlast the products and services that were the inspiration for the inventions, but their usefulness may not actually be realized until many years after they are filed. Because of the…
Read MoreDue Diligence for Patents – Licensing Potential
In many cases, the licensing potential of an invention is the best way to see its complete value. When rating inventions for patenting, the licensing potential of an invention is a key component. In this analysis, we are interested in the maximum potential uses of the invention. Technologies that are transportable or applicable to different…
Read MoreActor Analysis for Patent Infringement
Due Diligence for Patents – Actor Analysis tells who is the likely infringer. Actor analysis is often overlooked when valuing inventions for patenting, or for valuing patents once they are issued. With actor analysis, we want to know who is the actual actor that infringes the invention. This analysis often identifies patents that you would…
Read MoreCalculating the Economic Value of a Patent
Due Diligence for Patents – The value of an invention is proportional to the ECONOMIC impact it has on a product or market. The economic value of an invention is notoriously hard to estimate, but such analysis can be used to compare different inventions to stack rank the inventions – or to highlight the advantages/disadvantages…
Read MoreMapping an Invention to Competitor’s Products
Due Diligence for Patents – Comparing Inventions to Competitor’s Products. Inventions with external business value will map to competitors or to potential outside licensees. These patents might not map directly to your products, but are assets that make your company more attractive to acquisition, and give you leverage in negotiating with a competitor. These assets…
Read MoreMapping an Invention to an Internal Product Roadmap
Due Diligence for Patents – Comparing your invention to an internal product roadmap. Inventions with internal business value will map to your internal product roadmap. These patents are used to protect your products from direct copying and create a defensible space for you to operate. There are two main factors to consider for this analysis:…
Read MoreHow to Finance Getting a Patent?
You can get financing for your patent through BlueIron before you raise money. Entrepreneurs are caught between a rock and a hard place: they need money to get proper patent protection, but they need patent protection to start raising money. What do you do? BlueIronIP finances getting your patent – while you are raising money.…
Read MoreAngel Funding Through BlueIron
BlueIron acts as an angel investor, co-investing in your company. The big difference: BlueIron does not dilute your shares. BlueIron invests, on average, $40,000 for each patent your company has. If you do 5 patents, BlueIron will invest about $200,000. If you have 10 patents, BlueIron invests about $400,000. BlueIron’s investment goes into assets that…
Read MoreWhat is the cost of a cheap patent?
What is the cost of a cheap patent? It turns out to be very expensive. Some startup companies do not want to spend much money on patents, so they get the lowest cost provider for IP services. The result: a cheap patent. A cheap patent that might not have the proper claim scope to protect…
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