For this first Legal Toolbox, Marie-Avril Roux and Julian Waiblinger presented the 5-step IP protection strategy for startups.
👉 Step 1: Know what you have
Define what kind of IP rights you can have.
👉 Step 2: Know what you need
Do you have the rights you need?
Employees vs. freelancers
Publication of new technical inventions?
Sufficient protection of know-how? NDA?
Do you need to register your IP?
Patent/trademark/design: registration required
Trademarks: can the trademark be registered? Is it available?
Copyright: no registration
👉 Step 3: Know your budget
Patent = deep pockets (think of utility models as an alternative)
Copyright = it‘s for free!
Trademarks = concentrate on the most important countries (think of EUTMs and IRs)
👉 Step 4: Know your timeline from the start
Patents: no protection if disclosed – protection for 20 years
Copyright: no registration – protection for 70 years p.m.a.
Trademarks: registration can take some time – protection for 10 years (unless renewed)
Plan well in advance!
👉 Step 5: Know your IP like an investor
IP as a commercial tool
IP increases the value of your company
Be prepared for exits / due dilligences
We were pleased to welcome two start-ups:
💡 Lehrermarktplatz, becoming Eduki, with Anna Köppen
💡 Naki Power with Zaccaria Aghemio and Marvin Pottier.
Thanks for joining us 👏🏼