Posts Tagged ‘Startups’
Investing In Patents Website Launched
My new book “Investing In Patents” describes the patent system from a perspective of an investor in a startup company. Angel or venture capital investors often just “check the box” for patents, but few really understand how the system works. Most investors are shocked to know that many of the patents their portfolio companies are…
Read MorePatent Financing: How startups can obtain funding for their patent applications
Note: This article originally appeared on IPWatchdog. Year after year the patent laws become more complex. It seems with every decision from the Supreme Court and the Federal Circuit more detail is mandated for a patent application to be complete and for patent claims to have a fighting chance. These case law changes, as well…
Read MoreBlueIron IP Invests in Novum Concepts
BlueIron IP Invests in Novum Concepts Using A Unique, Non-Dilutive Investment Vehicle BROOMFIELD, CO — As former paramedics, Mike Kobneck and Kevin Scardina have special insight into what emergency room personnel need while awaiting a patient arriving by ambulance for treatment. When a sick or injured person is taking that siren-wailing ride to the ER,…
Read MoreA Lifestyle Business Makes Investors Jealous
Investors are just jealous of a lifestyle business. The term “lifestyle business” is used pejoratively to smear businesses that angels or venture capitalists can’t fund, but is really something about having a PROFITABLE business. Investors are just jealous that “lifestyle entrepreneurs” don’t need them. In the angel/VC model, there is only one focus: the exit.…
Read MoreBlueIron Skewers Traditional Patent Attorney Role with Unique Investment Model
BlueIron IP skewers traditional patent attorney role with unique investment model FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Jan 18, 2016 LOVELAND – Protecting a startup’s intellectual property is one of the most important milestones for any new tech-based business and one of the biggest factors for success, but conventional patent attorneys can make it a costly and confusing…
Read MorePatents Need to Make Business Sense
Patents can be part of an overall business strategy, but they need to make business sense. In our business of investing and financing patent portfolios, we can only invest in patents that have real commercial value. From the startup’s perspective, there are several ways that a patent can have value. Merely having a patent pending…
Read MoreInventions Where BlueIron Will NOT Invest
There are some inventions where BlueIron will NOT invest. I see an obnoxious number of inventions and patents from startups. Almost all of them are not good candidates for us to invest. It is heartbreaking to say “no” to inventors where the invention does not seem to be ‘big’ enough to be a saleable, stand-alone…
Read MoreFranchising Principles Applied to Startups
Photo by Terry Jaskiw on Unsplash Make yourself completely replaceable – not essential. I had the opportunity to visit with a franchise president who is also doing a “conventional” tech startup. I read The E-myth Revisited years ago, and it dramatically changed my way of thinking about business. The premise of the E-myth is that…
Read MoreStatistical Correlation Between Patent Ownership and Success
The more patents you own – and the better they are – the better your chances of success. France Brevets, a French sovereign investment fund, has published a report (in English) that correlates success of venture-backed startups with the patents held by the startup. As you would think the chances of success by the company…
Read MoreWhat is the cost of a cheap patent?
What is the cost of a cheap patent? It turns out to be very expensive. Airplane wreckage on black sand beach, Iceland 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…
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