PROTECTING YOUR IDEAS
Mary Juetten, Founder & CEO
"TRAKLIGHT", "ID YOUR IP", "IP VAULT", and "IP CLOUD" are registered trademarks of The PIP Vault, LLC. © MMXIII The PIP Vault, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Got Intellectual Property?Why Care…
• IP theft costs US companies $250 billion annually
• 100% of all companies have IP
• 700K new startups annually vs. 20% protected IP after 1st year
• IP is most valuable asset and not on your Balance Sheet
• Exclude competition; Attract investment (incl. crowdfunding); Leverage & license
• Avoid IP loss, infringement, or business failure
Disclaimer: This is intended to be general information. Nothing in this presentation constitutes legal advice. Please consult with an attorney before making any intellectual property protection decisions.
What is IP?
• Patents (utility & design)• Copyright ©• Trademark/Service mark TM SM ®• Trade secrets – unsung heroes
IP Misconceptions
• IP is just for Tech Startups or Tech companies & Patents are the only IP for inventors
• Trade secrets are the easiest to protect because there is no registration.
• You can copy anything without a copyright ©
• You can copyright an idea.
• Domain = TM
• If I pay for it, I own it.
• Patents means right to make or sell
Intellectual Property & Crowdfunding
• REWARDS BASED:
Kickstarter, Indiegogo, Rocket Hub How it works online!
• EQUITY BASED:
Not yet legal Online Business Planning Required
Strategies to Step 1: ID IP Step 2: Protect IP
WHY WHO
WHAT
WHEN
WHERE
✔
WHO: IP Ownership Challenges
• Multiple Inventors• Who you are? Employee, Student?• Proper Assignment of IP Rights – personal versus
company versus school• Assume that Ownership automatically extends outside
the US
• Idea• URL• Name• Know how• Students• Team• School
WHAT: Business Plan/Funding Presentation/Student Project
• Date of Idea/Invention (First to Invent First INVENTOR to file)
• Date of Use• Date of Filing• Date of Conversion• Renewals
WHEN: Key Dates to Remember
Strategies to Protect IP
Filing:
Patent/TM/Copyright $$$$$
OR
Secret $
Strategies to Protect IP
• Do it Yourself:– USPTO.gov– Copyright.gov
• Hire a Professional:– Attorney, Consultant, Legal Zoom, Rocket Lawyer
• Secrets:– Notary, IP Vault, Copyright software
• Inventor• Website • Software• Restaurant• Traklight!
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Case Studies
Be Prepared - Resources
• CfPA, CfIRA
• Crowdfundingroadmap.com Annual Oct 14th – 16th Convention & Bootcamp
• Crowdfundcast.com – podcast
• Getting Started with Crowdfunding Investing for Dummies in a Day
• Crowfunding Hatchery
• Traklight.com/IP Cloud – free resources
• Incubators & Accelerators• Mentors• SBDC• SCORE• Startup Arizona, America• Competitions – ACA
Innovation Challenge
• Resources – TrakLight.com - IP Cloud
Strategies to Step 1: ID IP Step 2: Protect IP
Questions?
Mary Juetten
@traklight
IDENTIFY. PROTECT. SUCCEED.
www.traklight.com
Text IPHELPU to 72727 for the latest white paper Or visit bit.ly/IPHELPU