Raising capital and protecting your business with IP

■ IP protects your brand and innovation and can give you an edge, keeping competition at bay, and convincing investors that you are a safe investment.

■ According to analysis of the VC market by PitchBook1:

■ Deal sizes for patent start-ups are on average 40-60% larger throughout every stage than for non-patent start-ups.

■ Across funding stages, patent companies raise capital at notably higher valuations than non-patent companies (up to 93%).

■ The median exit value for patent companies is 154.9% higher than it is for non-patent companies per year on average.

1 PitchBook Data Inc., Introducing PitchBook Patent ResearchTakeaways on patents’ impact on startup success (6 February 2023)

Have you got something worth protecting?

Is your USP based on technical differences from competitors?

You may benefit from patent protection. Speak to a patent attorney

Speak to a patent attorney, they will be able to help you determine whether you could get patent or design protection

Is your USP based on aesthetic differences from your competitor?

You may benefit from getting patent protection in the US. Speak to a patent attorney

Is your USP based on a new business model (i.e., a new way of doing business?)

You may benefit from design protection. Speak to a patent or trademark attorney

Is your USP based on creative works or a dateset that only you have access to?

You may have copyright for this. Brand protection will also be important. Speak to a trademark attorney

Is your USP related to an app that has new capabilities?

You may be able to get patent or design protection for your app. Speak to a patent attorney

You may not be able to protect your USP, but protecting your brand will be all the more important. Speak to a trademark attorney