IP Insights
What Is My IP Worth? How Intellectual Property Is Valued
Investors and buyers will ask what your IP is worth. There are three ways to answer, cost, market, and income, and each can give a different number. Here’s how each works and when each one applies.
Why a DIY Provisional Patent Application Can Backfire
A founder filed a DIY provisional patent application, started selling his product, and discovered too late that his thin disclosure left him with no patent options. Here’s how to avoid the same trap.
When Should a Startup File a Patent Before Fundraising?
Filing a patent at the right time can strengthen your fundraise. This post maps exactly when to file relative to demo days, investor meetings, and term sheets.
Copyright for Startups: Protect Your Code and Content
Most startup founders assume they own their code because they paid for it. Without the right contracts and registrations, that’s not always true. Here’s what to know.
IP Due Diligence for Startups | Lockhart IP
Investors look at a predictable set of IP items before they invest. Here’s what IP due diligence covers at each funding stage and how to get ready for it.
Patent Before Raising Venture Capital? | Lockhart IP
You don’t need a granted patent to raise venture capital, but you do need a plan. Here’s what investors actually look for and how to get your IP in order before fundraising.
How Duracell Lost the Energizer Bunny Trademark
Duracell invented the pink battery bunny in 1973 but lost U.S. trademark rights to Energizer after a lapsed filing. The full story, plus a maintenance checklist so it doesn’t happen to your brand.
How Patents Increase Startup Valuation | Lockhart IP
Patents can nearly double your startup’s valuation at the angel stage. Here’s what the data shows and how to use patent strategy to strengthen your fundraising position.
Patent Strategy for Pre-Seed and Seed-Stage Startups
A stage-by-stage guide to patent strategy for pre-seed and seed startups, covering provisionals, non-provisionals, trade secrets, budgeting, and the filing deadlines you can’t afford to miss.
Patent vs. Trade Secret: The Right Strategy for Startups
Not sure whether to patent your innovation or protect it as a trade secret? Here’s a practical framework to help you decide, plus when a hybrid approach makes the most sense.
How Much Does a Trademark Cost? (2026 Breakdown)
If you're wondering how much does a trademark cost, you're asking the right question at the right time. You've got a brand name you believe in, and...
Provisional Patents: A Smart Move for New Inventors? Pros, Cons, and When To Use Them
If you've built something new and you're thinking about patent protection, one of the first questions that comes up is whether to file a provisional...
What is Patentable?
If you’ve built something new, whether it’s a product, a tool, or a process, you’ve probably wondered whether you can patent it. It’s one of the...
Legal Traps for Businesses: 5 Mistakes to Avoid
Starting a business takes a lot of energy, and most of that energy goes toward building a product, finding customers, and making money. The legal...
Changing the Legal Structure of Your Business
The business structure you chose when you started your company may not be the right one for where your business is today. As your revenue grows,...
Registered Agents: More Than Just a Requirement
If you’ve formed an LLC or corporation, you were required to designate a registered agent. Most business owners treat this as a checkbox on...
Annual Filing Requirements for LLCs in U.S.
Starting an LLC is a relatively straightforward process, but keeping it in good standing takes ongoing attention. Every state has its own set of...
Where Should You Form Your Business?
One of the first decisions you will make when starting a business is where to form it. Delaware, Wyoming, and Nevada get a lot of attention for being business-friendly, but forming out of state is not the right move for every company. Here is what to consider before you decide.
Should You Add Your Spouse to Your LLC as a Co-Owner?
Plenty of small business owners wonder whether it makes sense to add their spouse as a co-owner (member) of their LLC. Maybe you're starting a...
What Contracts Do You Need in Place For Startups?
Starting a business is exciting, and it’s easy to focus all your energy on the product, the customers, and the revenue. But one of the most...
Is Your LLC Doing What it Should Be Doing?
Forming an LLC is one of the best decisions a small business owner can make. The limited liability structure protects your personal assets from...
Should You Register Your Business Right Away or Handle that Later?
When you have a great business idea and the market feels right, it's tempting to skip the paperwork and start selling. But at some point, you need...
Trademark Specimen Refusal: Why it Happens and What to Do?
If you're applying for a trademark, one of the requirements that catches people off guard is the specimen. The USPTO requires you to submit a...
Is Your Trademark Too Close? Understanding “Likelihood of Confusion”
There can be many reasons why the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) might reject your trademark application. One of the most common is...
4 Common Problems When Applying for Trademarks
Applying for a trademark with the USPTO is one of the smartest moves you can make for your business. But the application process isn't always...
4 Major Types of Intellectual Property
If you're building a business, one of the smartest things you can do early on is understand how intellectual property (IP) protection works. IP is...
A Guide to Successful Trademark Searches
Before you invest time and money into building a brand around a specific name or logo, you need to know whether it's actually available. That's what...
Brand vs. Trademark: What’s the Difference?
People use "brand" and "trademark" interchangeably all the time, but they're not the same thing. Understanding the difference matters because it...
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Latest Insights
What Is My IP Worth? How Intellectual Property Is Valued
An investor leans across the table and asks, "So what's your IP actually worth?" You've got a patent or two, a trademark, maybe some trade secrets. You know they matter. But putting a dollar figure on something you can't hold in your hand feels impossible. Here's the...
Why a DIY Provisional Patent Application Can Backfire
True story: a founder came to me recently with what he thought was a simple request. He'd filed a provisional patent application on his own 10 months earlier on a product he had already started selling, and now wanted to convert to a full non-provisional patent...