Patent Tips for Start-ups
Generally speaking, most startups would prefer to hire in-house experienced patent attorneys whose primary responsibility is building and managing their company’s patent portfolio.
However, due to budget constraints and limited resources, this responsibility often falls to a busy CTO or COO. But the reality is that even when the importance of patents is understood it is often difficult for these parties to prioritize building a strategic process.
This often leads to the making of last-minute patent decisions, misfiling, or failure to capture all inventive concepts.
The good news is that you don’t necessarily have to hire an in-house expert to build and manage your patent portfolio. Instead here are 3 tips that you can employ to develop your patent process:
1. Develop an easy-to-use invention disclosure form to help capture and keep track of the inventive developments
2. Have regularly scheduled discussions (monthly or quarterly) with a patent consultant or attorney to review and address potential application filings and patent office exam reports in a strategic manner, rather than chaotically at the last moment
3. Monitor and review the patent landscape for competitors in your technology space to avoid a crowded patent landscape.
Don’t hesitate to seek our help to ensure the proper IP protection of your company’s innovations.