Step 3

Startup Legal & IP

Intellectual property protection is protection for things created by the mind, like inventions, artistic and literary works, names, symbols and images.

 

Startups need to understand the basics of intellectual property (IP) law to best protect their hard work and ideas. Watch this video on IP protection to learn about the 4 types of IP: patents, trademarks, trade secrets, and copyrights:

 

Frequently asked questions 

DON’T TAKE THIS AS LEGAL ADVICE!! This is just our 2 cents, we are not lawyers.

 

Protecting your own IP

Do I need copyrights?

  • You don’t need to copyright your code. Code is already copywritten when it’s created. Filing a copyright with the government just allows you to sue harder for more damages. 
  • You may want to consider copyrighting your designs.

 

Do I need trademarks?

  • It may be a good idea to trademark your:
    • Business name
    • Product name
    • Logo
  • You probably don’t need to trademark your slogan

 

Do I need a patent?

  • Not for software

 

Not infringing upon other peoples IP

This doesn’t usually become a problem until you start making money from the product. Because if you’re not making money from it, what are people going to get from suing you?

 

Will having an attributions screen help protect me legally?

  • It will help

 

What is the proper way to give attribution?

  • You can follow the format of a popular, well-established product you like

 

Social media – are there rules for what I can and cannot post?

  • No rules, just try to reword text if you lift from somewhere else and give attribution where possible

 

Anything else to be aware of?

  • Yes, make sure to have Terms of Service and Privacy Policy screens in your website or app

Click next once you have made any appropriate legal protections for your IP…