You paid a developer $15,000 to build your MVP. You wrote the product spec. Every hour of work came out of your budget. So you own the code, right? Maybe not. If that developer was a freelancer and you didn’t get a written copyright assignment, they might still...
You’ve built something real. The product works, early customers are excited, and you’re getting ready to raise your first round. Then someone on your advisory board says, “Make sure your IP is in order before you talk to investors.” And you...
If you’re gearing up for a fundraise, someone has probably asked you, “So, do you have a patent?” Maybe it was an advisor, an accelerator application, or an investor during a pitch. And now you’re wondering whether you actually need a patent before raising venture...
Most people in the U.S. assume Energizer invented the pink battery bunny. They didn’t. Duracell did. And the reason Energizer owns the Energizer Bunny trademark in the U.S. today comes down to a missed trademark filing that cost Duracell exclusive rights to the mascot...
If you’re getting ready to raise a round of funding, you’ve probably heard that investors care about IP. But what does that actually mean in dollars? How much do patents increase startup valuation when it comes time to negotiate a term sheet? I work with startup...
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