DInitial consultations can be arranged via our contact page: here. Describe the general nature of your needs (e.g., “I am interested in obtaining a patent”) and your contact information, and we’ll respond within one business day.

Technology-based start-ups are vulnerable to idea theft and defeat by larger, established competitors, and should pursue intellectual property protection as early as possible to protect themselves. Start-ups typically begin with somebody having a great new idea, and they don’t have much to protect themselves against big companies. They don’t have the money, people, factory, machines, and marketing knowledge needed yet, to develop a new business, let alone compete with giants who do; they just have their idea. Big companies will of course notice a great idea as it starts to get attention, and will use their much greater resources to steal the same idea, and out-compete the start-up – unless they are stopped by something protecting the start-up. Intellectual property is that “great protector,” giving small entrepreneurs a chance to compete in a business “jungle” filled with these large, adult animals. So, think of intellectual property as the protective wing of a baby bird’s parents in the business jungle. It covers and protects the baby bird, and warns off predators, so their baby has a chance to survive, grow, and, eventually, fly despite the threats of the large predators in the business jungle. Intellectual property takes many forms, but, for tech start-ups, patents are often the most important, and should be sought immediately. Patent offices take time to process applications, and you want to know as early as possible if your start-up can and will be protected, before investing.

Intellectual property protection comes in several forms. For start-ups, two forms of intellectual property are often the most important – patents and trademarks – and they should be sought as early as possible. Patents are often used by tech start-ups to protect their brilliant new technological ideas for a product or service, but they can also be used to protect new, beautiful designs. Governments created patents thousands of years ago, to protect and encourage the creation of great new products and technologies. Without patents, new businesses would have almost no chance against big, established companies.

Equally important, Registered Trademarks protect a new business’s identity and goodwill in the marketplace. Without trademark protection, other businesses could imitate the real business, passing off counterfeit goods with the real name and logo of that business for the same products, to confuse consumers, and unfairly profit from someone else’s hard work.

But, as powerful as Patents and Trademarks are, there are many other forms of intellectual property, including trade secrets, trade dress and copyright. Drop us a line, and we’ll discuss how each of these areas can be used to protect your new business idea.

Most business people understand that they want to protect their business name from infringement with a Registered Trademark. But equally important, you may have created a logo – a special symbol, typeface, or other design that represents your business at a glance. This is what branding is all about, and why, for example, every automobile manufacturer has developed a unique badge as an ornament on every car that rolls off the assembly line. Your logo is instantly recognizable as a symbol of all of the good will of your business, and registering it as a trademark can prevent others from stealing that good will. But using a registered logo does more than simply protect your business good will. It acts as a vessel where you can build good will at all. You’re your products are branded, every dollar you spend marketing your them also builds the consumer’s familiarity and association with your brand.

As with patents, the best, first step, following an initial consultation, is almost always to conduct a search for the same name or logo, to see if it is already trademarked. The trademark process takes considerable time – currently, at least 8 months, and often longer. You don’t want to spend a year developing a business, and advertising a name, around a trademark when you can’t obtain a registration. That would be, effectively, investing in someone else’s company. We conduct multiple levels of search, depending on your needs, and the geographic locations you are seeking to register you trademark. Following that, we frame the trademark registration application itself, carefully crafting it to protect you in the areas where you seek to do business.