Patent Strategy
Drafting Patents for Licensing
Patents that are intended for licensing have a distinctively different feel to them and a different method of drafting than patents that protect a specific product line. Here, our intent is to protect an idea that may potentially be more valuable at the end of the patent life and may be used in ways that…
Read MoreProtecting a Product With Patents
Most companies get patent protection to protect a product. This is the first line of defense and is the most simplistic manner to use patents. In this case, the business interest is two fold. The primary goal is to prevent competitors from directly infringing the product going out the door and the secondary goal is to set…
Read MorePatent Portfolio Development vs. Just Getting a Patent
Most patents are a waste of money. Why is it that Apple and Samsung each have many thousands of patents, but when they start a patent war with each other over, they only assert a small handful of patents? For a small business with limited resources, judiciously selecting ideas for patenting can make the difference…
Read MorePatents Need to Track Your Product Strategy
If a patent has any business value, it must relate to concrete, real products that add value to people’s lives. Patents that cover hypothetical ideas and wishful thinking have no commercial value whatsoever. Whether you write patents to defend a product space, enhance your company’s value, create “trading card” assets for negotiating with competitors or…
Read MoreNever Use Equity to do a Job that Debt Can Do
Equity in your company should be valued high – after all, you have confidence in your ability to succeed. Why squander your equity when you can leverage someone else’s capital? BlueIron’s secured financing is very similar to debt: you leverage BlueIron’s capital investment with only a minimum of your own equity. BlueIron’s parallel investment in your company…
Read MoreSpend Your Capital on Growing Your Business
The most common refrain of a startup company is that “we can’t afford a patent attorney”. With BlueIron, you don’t have to. BlueIron builds out a professionally curated and managed patent portfolio for you while preserving your capital. BlueIron typically invests more than $40,000 per patent, which includes thorough searches and expediting the patents through…
Read MoreCollateralize your inventions? Is that even possible?
BlueIron is the only business that will use your inventions as collateral and finance patents based only on the strength of your inventions. Even though your patents are being financed, you have full control of your patent assets. You – and only you – can assert the patents against competitors, enter into licensing arrangements, and…
Read MorePatents for Defending Your Company
Many entrepreneurs and business owners want patents that will defend their company against competitors, but few companies actually have a proactive plan for investing their patent assets wisely. To defend your company, you want patents that are (1) litigation worthy and (2) relate directly to your company’s products and services. Litigation worthy patents are not…
Read MorePatents that Protect a Business Advantage
A good patent is one that protects a business advantage. I often ask entrepreneurs to tell me your competitive advantage – what is the weakness in the market that you are going to exploit? This can be one or many market weaknesses. For example, a competitive advantage is that your product is “easy to use”.…
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