Category: Patent Strategy
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Cringe-worthy: “There is nothing like it on the market”
One of my most hated phrases from entrepreneurs. I often hear from inventors and entrepreneurs who proudly state: “there is nothing like it in the market.” As if this was a badge of honor. It…
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The Myth of an Early Filing Date for a Patent
Updated 23 Oct 2025 Early filing dates are almost always a bad thing, not a good one. Many entrepreneurs are often lulled filing patent applications – especially provisional applications – because they are told that…
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Medical Device Patents
Regulatory risk has big effect on patent valuations. Medical devices and pharmaceutical inventions are a special case of intellectual property and are an interesting case study in the valuation of IP. They are an example…
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Who Owns the Invention?
The first step is often ‘skipped’ by startup founders. Many startups fail to have the basic agreements in place so that the company owns its inventions. Part of this is a failure to put the…
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Managing the Patent Process
How Entrepreneurs Need to Think About Patenting The patent process begins with selecting an invention and evaluating it as harshly as you possibly can. Selecting an invention for patenting is an iterative process and expect…
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Low Hanging Fruit: How Patent Searches Make Your Patent More Valuable
References and Information Disclosure Statements One easy way to spot an above-average patent is the References Cited on the front page. The references are specific pieces of prior art that the examiner considered when evaluating…
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Questions for Entrepreneurs: Are You The Right Person?
Entrepreneurs and inventors have eternal optimism, which is contagious. They are animated, motivated, and have relentless energy when they are striving to their goals. They can be immensely fun (and frustrating) to be around. But…
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Examples of Undetectable Inventions
This past week, I looked at a couple companies and their IP. Both had an interesting but fundamental problem that made their IP worthless. We will talk about one of them in this post. I…
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Two Parts of a Patent Application: What You Give Away and What You Get In Return
Patent applicants are told that they are getting a “monopoly” on their invention, and that leaves out half of the equation. Patent applications come in two parts – the specification and the claims. The specification…
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How IP-Backed Loans Work
Your intellectual property is usually the hardest-fought asset you have. Intellectual property, and particularly patents, are often the most valuable intangible assets your company owns. There are several ways to use your IP in finance,…