EP #399 - Matthias Kaech & Adrian Riedo: Why IP Protection Matters to Startups

Timestamps:

3:49 - Startups & IP rights

8:56 - Trademarks and patents

17:45 - Startups getting into IP trouble

25:58 - Protecting your IP globally

33:34 - Open source code

This episode was produced in collaboration with startup days, taking place this year on May 30th 2024. Click ⁠here⁠ to purchase your ticket.

About Matthias Kaech & Adrian Riedo:

Adrian Riedo is the founder and owner of RNX, short for Riedo Networks, a provider and distributor of energy monitoring and control solutions which began back in 2005. Matthias Kaech is a Senior IP Trainer at the Institute for Intellectual Property. 

Matthias and Adrian have a few IP recommendations for startup founders:

• Never discuss (the intricacies of) your (tech) invention in public. Once the information is leaked, your patent may be ruined;

• Look into the different types of IP protections and figure out which one is best for your company: patents for tech, trademarks for services, copyright/trademarks for software/apps, design rights for luxury products, etc..

• If you want to file for a trademark, the only register you have to be in is the National Trademark Register. Any other registers that contact you are private registers, and you’re not required to be listed on them, so don’t waste your money;

• Figuring out IP protection early on will give investors a positive view of your startup, partially because they know your product/service is protected, and partially because they see you took the trouble to make sure you had freedom to operate, and this shows competence;

• You have to apply for IP protection in each and every country. As a resource-constrained startup, you should think about which countries are your main markets and where your main competitors operate, so that you don’t waste money.

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