Depends. Patents can be helpful in defending something very unique and valuable. They are also hard work to get and take a long time. In start-up-landia though, the key is to create something of value fast and to prove it with some market metrics – that should be your sole focus. Along the way you’ll find that the thing you thought was so cool – changes a hundred times and you were spared the extra costs of updating your patent application. If you find a cure for cancer though – you should ignore the above advice and definitely patent that.
Share this answer with your network
Founders who are talking
Sign in with Twitter
Sign in with Facebook
| you type: | you see: |
| *italics* |
italics |
|
* item 1 * item 2 * item 3 |
|
|
1. item 1 2. item 2 3. item 3 |
|
|
Paragraphs are separated by one or more blank lines:
The first paragraph. Another paragraph. |
The first paragraph. Another paragraph |
-
0 votes
You don't need a patent, but if you decide not to consider patent protection, you will be unable to stop anyone else from using the process behind your software. A well-thought out strategy for an IP portfolio may also add a lot of value as the startup matures.
-
1 vote by Ian Andrew Bell,
Patents matter to lawyers and investors. The latter crowd, decreasingly so. If you're dealing with an investor who mandates patents as part of the deal, they're likely not to be founder-friendly and will not necessarily be in your corner when the chips are down. The cost of filing a patent is on average $75K, which puts it out of reach of an early-stage startup. In some cases, launching your technology or telling others about it inhibits you from claiming a patent later. This is the catch-22. It also begs the question: what are patents accomplishing?
-
0 votes
I agree the Patent application/maintenance is an expensive process and could cost you dearly. But a patent is for an invention or such, and a product or business idea may not be patentable. (Please note if you apply and hold patents in international market ie, multiple countries, it would be really expensive) Although I am not sure if your software "idea" is a real invention and would turn stones around in the market, I would go ahead with developing the product (joining very reliable developer source) and release it into market (with possible Copyrights). Copyright is comparably lower (though still carries the same risk that you can not prevent another developer copying your product source nor you police the industry/market for such mimicking products). Consult a patent lawyer/attorney to have an estimate of it and in-out of loopholes, if you really concern about it. If you own/operate a major company can afford such process, may be good idea to apply/own the patent if needed.
