FAQs

IP

IP 101

Patents
Trademark
Copyright
Licensing
Trade Secrets
Open Source
Privacy

What are the basic differences between the four main types of IP rights?

How do I protect my idea?

How do copyrights, trademarks, and patents differ?

Can my startup idea be a spinoff of a popular company?

Who owns the IP: Founders? Former employers?

Who owns the intellectual property created?

Who pays for protecting the intellectual property?

Is patenting and publishing mutually exclusive?

How does a copyright protect me?

My startup has limited resources and protecting IP can cost money. How do I know what kinds of IP protection to spend our money on this early in the company’s lifecycle?

Is a domain name the same as a trademark?