PROTECTING YOUR IDEASMary Juetten, Founder & CEO

"TRAKLIGHT", "ID YOUR IP", "IP VAULT", and "IP CLOUD" are registered trademarks of The PIP Vault, LLC. © MMXIII The PIP Vault, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Got Intellectual Property?Why Care…

• IP theft costs US companies $250 billion annually

• 100% of all companies have IP

• 700K new startups annually vs. 20% protected IP after 1st year

• IP is most valuable asset and not on your Balance Sheet

• Exclude competition; Attract investment (incl. crowdfunding); Leverage & license

• Avoid IP loss, infringement, or business failure

Disclaimer: This is intended to be general information. Nothing in this presentation constitutes legal advice. Please consult with an attorney before making any intellectual property protection decisions.

What is IP?

• Patents (utility & design)• Copyright ©• Trademark/Service mark TM SM ®• Trade secrets – unsung heroes

IP Misconceptions

• IP is just for Tech Startups or Tech companies & Patents are the only IP for inventors

• Trade secrets are the easiest to protect because there is no registration.

• You can copy anything without a copyright ©

• You can copyright an idea.

• Domain = TM

• If I pay for it, I own it.

• Patents means right to make or sell

Intellectual Property & Crowdfunding

• REWARDS BASED:

Kickstarter, Indiegogo, Rocket Hub How it works online!

• EQUITY BASED:

Not yet legal Online Business Planning Required

Strategies to 1.ID IP 2.Protect IP

WHY WHO

WHAT

WHEN

WHERE

✔

WHO: IP Ownership Challenges

• Multiple Inventors• Who you are? Employee of another company• Proper Assignment of IP Rights – personal versus

company• Assume that Ownership automatically extends outside

the US

• Idea• URL• Name• Know how• Employees• Contractors

WHAT: Business Plan/Funding Presentation

• Date of Idea/Invention (First to Invent First INVENTOR to file)

• Date of Use• Date of Filing• Date of Conversion• Renewals

WHEN: Key Dates to Remember

Strategies to Protect IP

Filing:

Patent/TM/Copyright $$$$$

OR

Secret $

Strategies to Protect IP

• Do it Yourself:– USPTO.gov– Copyright.gov

• Hire a Professional:– Attorney, Consultant, Legal Zoom, Rocket Lawyer

• Secrets:– Notary, IP Vault, Copyright software

• Inventor• Website • Software• Restaurant• Traklight!

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Case Studies

Be Prepared - Resources

• CfPA, CfIRA

• Crowdfundingroadmap.com Annual Oct 14th – 16th Convention & Bootcamp

• Crowdfundcast.com – podcast

• Getting Started with Crowdfunding Investing for Dummies in a Day

• Crowfunding Hatchery

• Traklight.com/IP Cloud – free resources

• Incubators & Accelerators• Mentors• SBDC• SCORE• Startup Arizona, America• Competitions – ACA

Innovation Challenge

• Resources – TrakLight.com - IP Cloud

Strategies to 1.ID IP 2.Protect IP

Thank You

Mary Juetten

mejuetten@traklight.com

@traklight

IDENTIFY. PROTECT. SUCCEED.

www.traklight.com