Last week we covered intellectual property law for startups and what pitfalls a new a new business should avoid. Now that you know the right people are vital to your business success, and how to set up the appropriate protections, we can cover protecting your ideas with a few more intellectual property tips.
This week I will cover a few more important potential IP pitfalls for start-ups and how to protect yourself and your company. Always remember that the ideas that make up your brand are intellectual property, and therefore they all need protection. For example:
• Patents. Ideas cannot be patented, but novel implementations can. If you have the next greatest invention or process that you want to bring to market you may need patent protection. The application has to be registered before you begin, or the implementation will be regarded un-patentable. We have covered patents more on the blog here. Patent protection may be the foundation your idea needs to build a stable future for your company.
• Trademarks. This could be anything from your company name to your logo. It is what distinguishes your goods from those of your competitor. Trademarks require a federal trademark registration from the United States Patent and Trademark Office. A trademark must be individual and unique.
• Copyrights. For start-ups in the tech industry, copyright protection is crucial to their success. It through these protections that programmers can keep their proprietary algorithms humming and digital code streaming; confident that they are protected and they have recourse should digital pirates try to highjack their intellectual property.
When it comes to intellectual property, what seems like small tedious tasks today can make or break your company tomorrow. Protecting your company’s intellectual property from the beginning will help your ideas and work transform into success.
If you are thinking about harnessing your entrepreneurial spirit and starting your own business, your first step may be to find the right legal advisor. Using these intellectual property tips and working with our office can help you succeed, while keeping your company protected. Contact the offices of Zachary Hiller today to protect your start-up and have your company grow to what you’ve always imagined.
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