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free weekly Infochachkie articles! Patents held by startups generally have a limited ability to reduce competition. The average time required to obtain a patent is 36-to-40 months, during which there is no guarantee your adVenture will ultimately receive patent protection. Not All Patent Types Are Created Equal.
A version of this article previously appeared in The Wall Street Journal. An invalidated patent or one deemed to infringe the rights of another party can devastate a startup. Defensible Claims - Some companies take pride in the number of patents they own. Do not rely on the IP lawyer to coax such vital information from you.
Last week a company we enthusiastically backed, uBeam , led by a very special entrepreneur, 25-year-old Meredith Perry , announced a $10 million round of financing. Here I make the case that entrepreneurs must stay focused on the prize, not the doubters. Entrepreneurs. ” **. It can be one of the strongest motivators.
I always advise software startups to file patents to protect their “secret sauce” from competitors, and to increase their valuation. The good news is that a patent can scare off or at least delay competitors, and as a “rule of thumb” patents can add up to $1M to your startup valuation for investors or M&A exits (merger and acquisition).
I always advise software startups to file patents to protect their “secret sauce” from competitors, and to increase their valuation. This patent holding company has charged infringement and demanded royalties from every app developer for the iPhone and Android, for a feature most agree has been in apps for many years.
I always advise software startups to file patents to protect their “secret sauce” from competitors, and to increase their valuation. The bad news is that patent trolls can squeeze the lifeblood out of innocent and unsuspecting entrepreneurs, as exemplified by the current mess around Lodsys patent No.
Most of you aspiring entrepreneurs have new ideas on a regular basis, and find it hard deciding which to pursue, or try to tackle several at the same time. In addition to personal focus, I find that the best entrepreneurs build and demand a culture of focus and excellence in their team, their investors, and even their advisors.
Most technical entrepreneurs I know demand the discipline of a product specification or plan, and then assume that their great product will drive a great business. Is it any wonder why so few entrepreneurs ever find the professional investors they seek? Yet I’m still often approached by aspiring entrepreneurs who have neither.
Article first published as Five Business Tips From The Beatles on Technorati. Despite the book’s shortcomings, it contains a number of insightful lessons for budding entrepreneurs. Of the 100 business “lessons” articulated in the book, I highlight a few below that I feel are the most relevant and impactful for entrepreneurs.
In previous articles, I have occasionally mentioned “red flags” which every potential investor unconsciously listens for. Other writers, like Guy Kawasaki, have irreverently called some of these “entrepreneur lies,” but I prefer to think of them as innocent over-enthusiasm or over-confidence that can kill your deal.
You have probably heard plenty of times that being an entrepreneur is a risky business, and investors talk all the time about reducing the risk. Here is my own priority list of key risk drivers that every entrepreneur and every investor should evaluate and minimize in starting a business: Team experience and depth risk. Financial risk.
Their primary intended reader is a “first-time entrepreneur”, but clearly other stakeholders within the startup universe can also benefit from the book’s hands-on advice. free weekly Infochachkie articles! They are both former entrepreneurs and current Partners at Foundry Group , a highly successful, early stage venture firm.
free weekly Infochachkie articles! Mark noted that even if an entrepreneur does not become a master developer, by simply understanding the software development process, they will be a more effective startup leader. I explore this peculiar entrepreneurial career path in further detail in THIS entry. " [Tweet this quote].
Most technical entrepreneurs I know demand the discipline of a product specification or plan, and then assume that their great product will drive a great business. Is it any wonder why so few entrepreneurs ever find the professional investors they seek? Yet I’m still often approached by aspiring entrepreneurs who have neither.
In fact, I often have to tell aspiring entrepreneurs that their inventions have zero value, at least not until they are put in the context of a business plan, with qualified people committed to executing the plan. A long-term advantage usually also requires intellectual property, such as a patent, trade secret, or trademark.
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. If you haven't already subscribed yet, subscribe now for free weekly JohnGreathouse.com articles! In 1945, Hedy and Antheil codified their invention by filing a patent claim. Sometimes being clueless makes you fearless. In 1937, Ms. Images: Associated Press.
A version of this article previously appeared Forbes. In addition to creating a franchise chain which exceeded 500 locations at its peak, Martha Harper was also one of the world’s first social entrepreneurs, helping thousands of middle-class women create their own businesses and control their destinies. Martha’s Legacy Lives On.
The critical success factors for a product business are well known, starting with selling every unit with a gross margin of 50 percent or more, building a patent and other intellectual property, and continuous product improvement. They tell these entrepreneurs to sell themselves, execute well, and grow organically.
For a software startup, a patent can be the intellectual property providing the key competitive advantage, or it can be an expensive non-defensible bureaucratic nightmare -- or both. Some argue to simply eliminate software patents, while others put their hopes in U.S. Every business is global, but patent rules differ around the world.
The honest answer is that ideas and new technologies are worth nothing, outside the context of a specific entrepreneur and a specific business plan that meets a market need for a fair price. What investors want is a proven entrepreneur, someone who can invent a product, find capital, and find a way of getting the product to market.
We''re also using web articles and other data sources, and cross referencing those with location information. What we have done for the user, is used a patent pending algorithm to sift through north of a million data points a day, and thousands of conversations per second, to help organize and cluster highlights. READ MORE>>.
In fact, I often have to tell aspiring entrepreneurs that their inventions have zero value, at least not until they are put in the context of a business plan, with qualified people committed to executing the plan. A long-term advantage usually also requires intellectual property, such as a patent, trade secret or trademark.
" A Techdirt article argues that if you look at the true history of major breakthroughs, you might conclude that the invention was the easy part – the hard part was the business side. What investors want is a proven entrepreneur, someone who can invent a product, find capital, and find a way of getting the product to market.
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. As I thought about the characteristics that comprise a great program, I identified five criteria that a prospective entrepreneurial student can use to evaluate the efficacy of a collegiate entrepreneur curriculum. 5 Criteria To Assess An Undergraduate Entrepreneurial Program.
Just because a product has a patent, deep complexity and an obvious competitive advantage does not mean that it can fly by itself into the market. How-to learn about angel/vc term sheets - Gabriel Weinberg , June 28, 2010 I think every startup entrepreneur (and angel investor) should have a good understanding of financing term sheets.
Some entrepreneurs seem to think that their product pitch is also their investor pitch. I outlined what investors expect to see in an old article “ Adding Slides Does Not Enhance Your Investor Pitch. Investors don’t need to know the implementation details of your patent or customer support plan.
All this sounds very enticing and many budding entrepreneurs can’t wait to fly to Paris or Shanghai to tap into the international markets. Even a trusted manufacturer generally employs numerous subcontractors and this can easily lead to unauthorized copying as well as loss of intellectual property rights, despite patent protection.
You have probably heard plenty of times that being an entrepreneur is a risky business, and investors talk all the time about reducing the risk. Here is my own priority list of key risk drivers that every entrepreneur and every investor should evaluate and minimize in starting a business: Team experience and depth risk. Financial risk.
Most technical entrepreneurs I know demand the discipline of a product specification or plan, and then assume that their great product will drive a great business. Is it any wonder why so few entrepreneurs ever find the professional investors they seek? Yet I’m still often approached by aspiring entrepreneurs who have neither.
In previous articles, I have occasionally mentioned “red flags” which every potential investor unconsciously listens for. Other writers, like Guy Kawasaki, have irreverently called some of these “entrepreneur lies,” but I prefer to think of them as innocent over-enthusiasm or over-confidence that can kill your deal. Marty Zwilling.
The critical success factors for a product business are well known, starting with selling every unit with a gross margin of 50 percent or more, building a patent and other intellectual property, and continuous product improvement. They tell these entrepreneurs to sell themselves, execute well, and grow organically.
Include here articles of incorporation, bylaws, shareholder minutes, board minutes, state filings, stock ledger, copies of stock certificates, options and warrants, and copies of all securities law filings. entrepreneur startup record keeping nightmare business' Keep good backups of all computer files. Corporate records.
In fact, I often have to tell aspiring entrepreneurs that their inventions have zero value, at least not until they are put in the context of a business plan, with qualified people committed to executing the plan. A long-term advantage usually also requires intellectual property, such as a patent, trade secret, or trademark.
The critical success factors for a product business are well known, starting with selling every unit with a gross margin of 50 percent or more, building a patent and other intellectual property, and continuous product improvement. They tell these entrepreneurs to sell themselves, execute well, and grow organically.
Some entrepreneurs seem to think that their product pitch is also their investor pitch. I outlined what investors expect to see in an old article “ Adding Slides Does Not Enhance Your Investor Pitch. Investors don’t need to know the implementation details of your patent or customer support plan. Marty Zwilling.
You have probably heard plenty of times that being an entrepreneur is a risky business, and investors talk all the time about reducing the risk. Here is my own priority list of key risk sources that every entrepreneur and every investor should evaluate and minimize in starting a business: Team experience and depth risk. Financial risk.
Some entrepreneurs seem to think that their product pitch is also their investor pitch. I outlined what investors expect to see in another article “ Adding Slides Does Not Enhance Your Investor Pitch. Investors don’t need to know the implementation details of your patent or customer support plan. Marty Zwilling.
Include here articles of incorporation, bylaws, shareholder minutes, board minutes, state filings, stock ledger, copies of stock certificates, options and warrants, and copies of all securities law filings. Keep good backups of all computer files. Corporate records. Intellectual property records. This is an especially important category.
I’ve talked about the solution part several times, so this article will focus on the value of a strategy. Patent protection is no guarantee, but it does improve the chances of building businesses that have a sustainable competitive advantage. Tags: strategy entrepreneur startups business. Scalability. Intellectual property (IP).
Some entrepreneurs seem to think that their product pitch is also their investor pitch. I outlined what investors expect to see in an old article “ Adding Slides Does Not Enhance Your Investor Pitch. Investors don’t need to know the implementation details of your patent or customer support plan.
Have you patented it? A lot of first-time entrepreneurs think that a brilliant solution is the most important ingredient in building a successful business, but it's only one of many important elements. Tags: entrepreneur startup business plan business. How does it work, and how does it solve the problem? His website is [link].
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. Entrepreneurs who study historical Hummingbird Effects are better positioned to anticipate the unintended, non-obvious consequences spawned by today’s technologies. I recently enjoyed John Covach’s History Of Rock Coursera course. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Include here articles of incorporation, bylaws, shareholder minutes, board minutes, state filings, stock ledger, copies of stock certificates, options and warrants, and copies of all securities law filings. Keep good backups of all computer files. Corporate records. Intellectual property records. This is an especially important category.
Some entrepreneurs seem to think that their product pitch is also their investor pitch. I outlined what investors expect to see in another article “ Limit an Investor Pitch to 10 Pages and 10 Minutes.” Investors don’t need to know the implementation details of your patent or customer support plan.
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