Startups & Funding
The Entrepreneur and the Angel Investor – The Story of Bad IP Protection.
An angel investor will ask the entrepreneur “Do you have a patent?” The next thing the entrepreneur does is run out and gets a patent. Is this smart? Note: this excerpt is from my forthcoming book “Startup IP Strategy.” Photo by Tommaso Pecchioli on Unsplash The calculus is simple to the entrepreneur: they think a…
Read MoreThe Patent System is Broken – but not in the way you think it is.
The patent system has some weird quirks that makes it feel broken. In truth, you do not want to know how the sausage gets made at the Patent Office, and patent laws are all weirdly nuanced with few bright lines. That is just the way it is. The real problem is the patent applicants, not…
Read MorePatents Help Sell Your Company
(Updated 10 Oct 2021.) IP plays a big role to sell your company, especially if you are a startup company. Most people think about building an IP portfolio for “protection.” Somehow, the patent value[1] is that they can mystically enforce their patent on an infringer. The notion of “protection” is mostly an illusion, unless you…
Read MoreSo You Have A Patent? Now What?
For many entrepreneurs, life goes on. The nasty secret is that now that they have this new asset, they don’t know what to do with it. They spent a lot of money, time, and energy getting the patent, but struggle with the value of it.
Read MoreWhy Startup Patents Are Doomed From The Start
Patents for small companies are fundamentally different from patents for large companies. The decisions made – and skills needed – to develop the two are very different. Old tractor in the Alpine meadows There are several problems facing a startup company when getting patents. The biggest problem: the skillset needed for a startup’s patents is…
Read MoreIs the Ethical NDA too harsh?
BlueIron has been using the Ethical NDA from the Ethical Collaboration Association for all new engagements. The Ethical NDA is available here. TL;DR: The Ethical NDA is perfect for the intense, collaborative environment of trust and innovation that we have with our clients. The Ethical NDA changes the rules of engagement with clients. Rather than…
Read MoreDouble the Value of Your Patents – All You Need is the Right NDA
The right IP agreements play a huge role in how valuable your patents will be over time. One of the dirty secrets of coworking spaces, startup accelerators, incubators, and other collaborative environments is that the mere act of collaborating can devalue your intellectual property. The typical scenario is when two coworkers from different companies collaborate…
Read MorePatent Enforcement Insurance Makes Your Company Valuable
Why should I get a patent? I don’t have enough money to enforce it. Many startup companies don’t bother with patents because they don’t think they can enforce them. And they are right. A patent lawsuit can be very expensive, and the game of enforcement is really a big game of chicken: both sides are…
Read MoreWhat Does A Quality Patent Look Like?
What does a quality patent look like? We evaluate patents every day. We underwrite investments in intellectual property, either for financing patents before they are written or for providing loans against patents that already exist. After doing this for a long time, there are certain elements that we evaluate every time we pick up a…
Read MoreHow Much Do Patent Attorneys Charge
The average patent cost[1][2] about $60,000, and most of that goes to your patent attorney. How much do patent attorneys charge? Be prepared to pay them about $45,000 through the entire process. The patent process involves two major phases. Patent “preparation” is when the patent is originally drafted and filed with the patent office, and…
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