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Patents

Patents

Startups: You’re Doing Patents All Wrong

Startups: You’re Doing Patents All Wrong

Startup entrepreneurs: forget what you think you know about patenting, you’re doing it all wrong. Of course, you can’t be blamed for this, there is a huge cadre of experts—be they attorneys, investors or your advisory board—who tell you that you need patents to “protect your

Is Traction the "New IP" for Your Startup?

Is Traction the "New IP" for Your Startup?

“Traction is the new IP” is a common refrain from startup experts these days. As a result, many startup entrepreneurs are rejecting patents and other forms of IP protection to focus instead on generating customers. It is certainly comforting for busy entrepreneurs to have succinct slogans like “traction is the

Start Ups: Rethink Patenting Your Software-Related Ideas

As an IP Strategist, the benefits of patenting for software-based companies have always been tough for me to see; however, recently it has become even more clear that entrepreneurs with businesses based on software processes and, more specifically, data processing-related business models, need to re-think patents as

Looking to Build a Successful Startup Company? Read This

Looking to Build a Successful Startup Company? Read This

After working with many startup entrepreneurs over the years, I have consistently seen that those looking to build a successful startup company spend too much time on “fighting fires” (i.e., tactics) and too little time on “the big picture” (i.e., strategy). While there are many examples of such

Who Needs a Patent? The Answer May Surprise You

Who Needs a Patent? The Answer May Surprise You

As an IP Strategist (and "Fully Recovered Patent Attorney") who works with startup entrepreneurs, I am frequently asked if one should obtain a patent to “protect” their idea. My response typically is: “the only person who needs a patent is a patent attorney." Indeed, if a patent

Q & A with SmartUp

Q & A with SmartUp

Yuri Eliezer and Mikhail Avady founded SmartUp, a website startup designed exclusively to help entrepreneurs, small business owners, and inventors handle all of the challenges that come with protecting Intellectual Property. Yuri is a patent attorney himself, and Mikhail was a senior business analyst with First Data Corporation. Yuri came