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Patenting AI Built on Open-Source Frameworks

Patenting AI Built on Open-Source Frameworks

by Curt Lockhart | Jun 24, 2026 | Intellectual Property, Patent, Startups

You built something genuinely new on top of TensorFlow, PyTorch, or Hugging Face. A smarter training method. A retrieval pipeline that actually works. An architecture nobody else has shipped. Then a thought stops you cold: “I built this on free, open-source...
Can I Use a Trademark Before It Is Registered?

Can I Use a Trademark Before It Is Registered?

by Curt Lockhart | Jun 23, 2026 | Intellectual Property, Startups, Trademark

If you’ve already launched a website, printed packaging, or set up social profiles under a new brand name, you don’t need to pause everything while you wait for a registration certificate. In the US, trademark rights come from actual use in commerce, not...
What Is My IP Worth? How Intellectual Property Is Valued

What Is My IP Worth? How Intellectual Property Is Valued

by Curt Lockhart | Jun 15, 2026 | Intellectual Property, Patent, Startups

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...
Why a DIY Provisional Patent Application Can Backfire

Why a DIY Provisional Patent Application Can Backfire

by Curt Lockhart | Apr 16, 2026 | Intellectual Property, Patent, Startups

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...
When Should a Startup File a Patent Before Fundraising?

When Should a Startup File a Patent Before Fundraising?

by Curt Lockhart | Apr 9, 2026 | Intellectual Property, Patent, Startups

You’ve decided to file a patent. You know it matters for fundraising. But now you’re staring at your calendar, wondering: do I file before demo day? Before my first investor meeting? Before the term sheet? Knowing when to file a patent as a startup can...
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Recent Posts

  • Patenting AI Built on Open-Source Frameworks
  • Can I Use a Trademark Before It Is Registered?
  • What Is My IP Worth? How Intellectual Property Is Valued
  • Why a DIY Provisional Patent Application Can Backfire
  • When Should a Startup File a Patent Before Fundraising?

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