What intellectual property (IP) related steps should a start-up
take? Start-ups should take the same steps as a large
multinational, but within their budget.
Make IP decisions and do so early
One of the main (and early) steps is to make a considered
decision about what IP means to your business and what IP tools
will be used to support your business model. Not doing so can cause
big problems later for your business. You need to have answers to
the potential IP questions that may be raised by future investors
or exit targets at the time of their due diligence..
You may have made a conscious decision to not pursue registered
IP rights, which can be perfectly acceptable. For example,
start-ups often do not register their trade marks because they have
an exit strategy in mind—an exit strategy that will see their
business absorbed into a large organisation with its own trade mark
protected house brands already in place. On the flip-side, the
brand may play an
