Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 26, 2021

Investors know that operational and employee expenses are always higher than anticipated, not to mention customer acquisition costs, capital expenses, and ongoing competitive initiatives. Patents are a good place for you to start. Convince me that you understand your competition.

Funding 132

Funding Resource Template Competition 132

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 16, 2020

That’s why all those so-called million dollar ideas I hear about as an investor don’t get me excited, and entrepreneurs find that working twenty hours a day often generates nothing more than sweat, instead of the desired sweat equity. Watch that patent provide a real barrier to competitive entry.

Satisfaction 174

Satisfaction Customer Custom Outsource 174

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2020

Most universities have a file of patents from project work that they are willing to license to any entrepreneur for business commercialization, with little or no cost up front. Every startup needs to start their funding search looking for grants, with no equity dilution, as well as contests and foundations.

Class 124

Class Startup Resource Mentor 124

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2015

" Investors want to buy into an entrepreneur with a startup that can provide evidence of an ability to double customer productivity, at half the cost, with patented technology. Include your sustainable competitive advantage. Focus on a specific market segment to match your solution.

Summary 101

Summary Patents Technical Review Competition 101

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2017

For example, “I just patented a new cell-phone technology that will double battery life for half the cost. Opportunity segmentation and competitive environment. List key competitors and alternatives, highlighting your sustainable competitive advantages, such as patents and trademarks.

Startup 65

Startup Writing Patents Competition 65

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 18, 2013

Those at the other extreme don’t look up from the grindstone long enough to notice whether all their work is producing sweat equity or just sweat. Love that sustainable competitive advantage. Incorporate, register your domain name, trademarks, and copyrights, then patent if possible. Bask in the success as it happens.

Startup 100

Startup Patents Competition Social Network 100

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2016

This is also the place to first mention patents and any other differentiators that put you ahead of competition. Every new offering has competition and alternatives, so it’s not credible to claim no competitors. How big is the funding request, and how much equity will you give?

Invest 108

Invest Startup Slides Equity 108

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2012

Those at the other extreme don’t look up from the grindstone long enough to notice whether all their work is producing sweat equity or just sweat. Love that sustainable competitive advantage. Incorporate, register your domain name, trademarks, and copyrights, then patent if possible. Bask in the success as it happens.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Patents Startup Ideas 102

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2016

Most universities have a file of patents from project work that they are willing to license to any entrepreneur for business commercialization, with little or no cost up front. Every startup needs to start their funding search looking for grants, with no equity dilution, as well as contests and foundations.

Entrepreneur 55

Entrepreneur Capital Class Startup 55

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 30, 2012

Although their book is written for businesses of all sizes, I believe the principles apply especially to startups as follows: Increase return on equity invested. All strategic and business thinking must lead to immediate action to increase sales and profitability potential, relative to your competition. Intellectual property (IP).

Startup 99

Startup Competition IP Patents 99

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 16, 2015

That’s why all those so-called million dollar ideas I hear about as an investor don’t get me excited, and entrepreneurs find that working twenty hours a day often generates nothing more than sweat, instead of the desired sweat equity. Watch that patent provide a real barrier to competitive entry.

Satisfaction 101

Satisfaction Entrepreneur Customer Custom 101

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2012

Of course, the first one gets the patent. But patent disclosure requirements often make imitation easier, and smart technologists can work around most patents anyway. Even banks, as well as equity investors, look more favorably on a proven business model than a new and unproven one. Easier to find investors.

Patents 84

Patents Startup Statistics Course 84

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 26, 2011

Of course, the first one gets the patent. But patent disclosure requirements often make imitation easier, and smart technologists can work around most patents anyway. Even banks, as well as equity investors, look more favorably on a proven business model than a new and unproven one. Easier to find investors.

Startup 91

Startup Patents Statistics Course 91

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2012

Describe your technology patents and “secret sauce”. Competition and sustainable advantage. List and position your competition, or alternatives available to the customer. Highlight your sustainable competitive advantages, and barriers to entry. What equity is the company willing to give in return for the investment?

Slides 99

Slides Competition Sample Sales 99

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 12, 2010

Those at the other extreme don’t look up from the grindstone long enough to notice whether all their work is producing sweat equity or just sweat. Love that sustainable competitive advantage. Incorporate, register your domain name, trademarks, and copyrights, then patent if possible. Bask in the success as it happens.

Startup 88

Startup Patents Competition Social Network 88

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 27, 2018

Intellectual property and sustainable competitive advantage. Patents, trade secrets, and trademarks are very attractive to investors, since these are not easily overcome by competitors. Specific investment size request, and equity offered. Solo entrepreneurs have a hard time finding an investor.

Product 58

Product Slides Entrepreneur Invest 58

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 2, 2016

That’s why all those so-called million dollar ideas I hear about as an investor don’t get me excited, and entrepreneurs find that working twenty hours a day often generates nothing more than sweat, instead of the desired sweat equity. Watch that patent provide a real barrier to competitive entry.

Satisfaction 61

Satisfaction Startup Customer Custom 61

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 9, 2010

Although their book is written for businesses of all sizes, I believe the principles apply especially to startups as follows: To increase return on equity invested. All strategic and business thinking must lead to immediate action to increase sales and profitability potential, relative to your competition. Intellectual property (IP).

Startup 92

Startup Competition IP Patents 92

Xconomy

JUNE 3, 2016

Merck also saw some expected fruits of its 2014 big-ticket acquisition of Cubist Pharmaceuticals wither away this week, as the Supreme Court wouldn’t reverse a decision that shaved years off the patent life of the top-selling antibiotic daptomyicin (Cubicin). —When Merck (NYSE: MRK ) bought Cubist Pharmaceuticals for $9.5

San Diego 62

San Diego Patents Acquisition News 62

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 10, 2011

Describe your technology patents and “secret sauce”. Competition and sustainable advantage. List and position your competition, or alternatives available to the customer. Highlight your sustainable competitive advantages, and barriers to entry. What equity is the company willing to give in return for the investment?

Slides 93

Slides Competition Sample Sales 93

socalTECH

DECEMBER 7, 2016

We worked on Beatshare at Chapman, where there was a business plan competition, which we won. From there, we went on to a national competition, California Dreamin, which had over 200 entrants from multiple universities, with undergrad, graduate, and postgraduates from all around the country for three days, and we got second place.

Tech Coast Angels 100

Tech Coast Angels CTO Coach Startup Pasadena Angels 100

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 11, 2016

If your solution and brand are really new and innovative, you need to protect them with a patent, trademark or trade secret. These are required to show that you have a defensible competitive advantage or at least a barrier to entry. Create and highlight your intellectual property portfolio.

Angel 65

Angel Startup Technical Review Social Media 65

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 19, 2010

Describe your technology patents and “secret sauce”. Competition and sustainable advantage. List and position your competition, or alternatives available to the customer. Highlight your sustainable competitive advantages, and barriers to entry. What equity is the company willing to give in return for the investment?

Slides 94

Slides Competition Sample Sales 94

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 13, 2015

While it is impossible to know what the future holds, startup business owners can bank on the fact that potential future buyers will be evaluating their financial statements in addition to the value of their corporate team, working partnerships, marketing efforts, patents, and reputation.

Startup 40

Startup Acquisition Outsource Development Outsource 40

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 2, 2016

Filing a provisional patent costs very little if you do it yourself, and it holds your place in line for a year. Give away more equity than required to drive the business. Reality check first your sizing of the opportunity, competition, and margins. Reveal “secret sauce” before filing intellectual property.

Startup 62

Startup Patents Entrepreneur Writing 62

socalTECH

MARCH 31, 2014

Whether that''s for competitive analysis or market analysis, our product is basically able to monitor--on a very large scale--things that are important to your particular company. To give you an overview, there are something like 6,000 equities in the U.S. We''re looking for lighting bolts in time which are important.

Orange County 245

Orange County Startup News IBM 245

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 2, 2013

That’s probably the soft way of saying, we don’t have a patent or any “secret sauce” for a competitive advantage. Investors expect the founder and other principals to have “skin in the game,” over and above “sweat equity.” They may think it's bravado, but investors think it's stupidity. “We We have the first-mover advantage.”

Entrepreneur 111

Entrepreneur Startup Social Network IBM 111

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 16, 2013

The intent of this question is to determine the level of commitment of founders, both cash and “sweat equity,” and how much others have already invested into this plan. Provisional patents, or lawsuits pending, don’t add up to a strong sustainable competitive advantage. How much “skin” is already in the game?

Startup 101

Startup Invest Patents Entrepreneur 101

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 25, 2016

If you expect an equity investment from reputable investors for your new startup, you need to know the boundaries that often limit their interest. Secret sauce' or competitive advantage is not clear. It costs very little to file a provisional patent to begin your protection.

Funding 57

Funding Social Media Patents Startup 57

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 2, 2012

The intent of this question is to determine the level of commitment of founders, both cash and “sweat equity,” and how much others have already invested into this plan. Provisional patents, or lawsuits pending, don’t add up to a strong sustainable competitive advantage. How much “skin” is already in the game?

Startup 97

Startup Invest Patents Customer 97

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 24, 2012

The corporate entity lends itself best to the concept of “sharing” equity required by investors, and unincorporated entities don’t get funding. File a patent and trademarks to show real intellectual property. Line up an experienced team. Remember the old adage that “investors fund people, not ideas.” Define some intellectual property.

Angel 104

Angel Screening Summary Startup 104

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 24, 2012

That’s probably the soft way of saying, we don’t have a patent or any “secret sauce” for a competitive advantage. Investors expect the founder and other principals to have “skin in the game,” over and above “sweat equity.” They may think it's bravado, but investors think it's stupidity. “We We have the first-mover advantage.”

Startup 95

Startup Social Network IBM IBM 95

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 5, 2011

The intent of this question is to determine the level of commitment of founders, both cash and “sweat equity,” and how much others have already invested into this plan. Provisional patents, or lawsuits pending, don’t add up to a strong sustainable competitive advantage. How much “skin” is already in the game?

Entrepreneur 95

Entrepreneur Startup Invest Patents 95

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2011

The corporate entity lends itself best to the concept of “sharing” equity required by investors, and unincorporated entities don’t get funding. File a patent and trademarks to show real intellectual property. Line up an experienced team. Remember the old adage that “investors fund people, not ideas.” Define some intellectual property.

Invest 99

Invest Angel Technical Review Summary 99

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 24, 2011

That’s probably the soft way of saying, we don’t have a patent or any “secret sauce” for a competitive advantage. Investors expect the founder and other principals to have “skin in the game,” over and above “sweat equity.” They may think it's bravado, but investors think it's stupidity. “We We have the first-mover advantage.”

Startup 98

Startup Social Network IBM IBM 98

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2013

File a provisional patent, register a trademark, and reserve your company domain names. It’s also the keystone to convincing investors that you have a “sustainable competitive advantage.” Investors like to see that you have committed personal funds as well as “sweat equity,” and they like to see real progress at this level.

Funding 112

Funding Entrepreneur Startup CTO Hire 112

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 20, 2010

The intent of this question is to determine the level of commitment of founders, both cash and "sweat equity,” and how much others have already invested into this plan. Provisional patents, or lawsuits pending, don't add up to a strong sustainable competitive advantage. How much "skin” is already in the game?

Startup 91

Startup Invest Patents Entrepreneur 91