By: Mark Getty
To avoid early missteps in protecting valuable business intellectual property, every entrepreneur should regularly ask himself or herself the following questions about their intangible assets.
1. What IP does my business currently own?
> Take an accounting of all trademarks, inventions, trade secrets, confidential information, or other proprietary information currently owned. For a quick & easy primer on the various types of intellectual property and what legal protections may be available, a brief summary can be found here.
> If you are new or small business, start with a simple spreadsheet that tracks the type, status, & description of all IP owned, and update the spreadsheet regularly with details such as: (1) the date any pending applications or registrations were filed, (2) the date that responses to any official correspondence are due (for example to the USPTO), and (3) the date any applications/registrations expire or need to be renewed.
> Keep in mind that you may own the IP personally if you are an early stage company (or simply a sole proprietorship). You may consider assigning any patent or trademark applications/registrations from you personally to the company to add valuable assets to the company (or license them if you would prefer to keep title).
Read more >> https://www.startupheartup.com/blog/4-questions-every-business-owner-should-ask-about-intellectual-property-ip
