What Startups With Lean Budgets Can Do to Protect Their IP

Intellectual property is often the most valuable asset of a startup business. And yet, many cash conscious startups neglect to protect their potential intellectual property assets, preferring to allocate scarce resources to set up and initial operation costs. This article suggests practical and economical steps for startups, especially those with tight finances, to protect their valuable intellectual property assets.

Patent Protection Is Available at Modest Costs

Patents protect inventions that are new, useful and nonobvious. The three main categories of patents are utility patents, design patents, and business method/software patents. A utility product patent protects how a product is used, made, its function or structure. A utility process patent protects the inventive method of use or operation.