Ask HN: Do startups still focus on obtaining patents nowadays (2017)?

#1

Post by barelyusable » Thu, May 18, 2017, 9:34 PM UTC

Cost of the fees can be $10k+. Typically one has no $$$ to actually execute and enforce a patent. It looks like to have a startup with IP protected by some legal paper, but realistically it's useless. Do patents even increase the valuation?

In other words: is it still worth to bother about thinking about patenting in a startup?

Re: Ask HN: Do startups still focus on obtaining patents nowadays (2017)?

#2

Post by kjksf » Thu, May 18, 2017, 9:45 PM UTC

They never did.

If you use the definition of a startup as "still searching for a business model" and not "any company of any age and size as long as it's involved in technology", then there's no reason for them to apply for a patent.

By the above definition, startups haven't yet figured out what is their exact product, what is their business model etc. There's nothing there to protect with patents yet.

And what also follows, they're not successful yet so no-one will sue them for patent infringement. Lawsuits are about money. If there's no money to extract, there's no point in suing.

Re: Ask HN: Do startups still focus on obtaining patents nowadays (2017)?

#3

Post by baccheion » Fri, May 19, 2017, 1:39 AM UTC

Old world companies usually/commonly avoided patents, as they just spelt things out for the competition (ie, showed the competition how to copy them). Most things worth knowing were held as trade secrets.

Having a patent could easily be a good marketing strategy, but I'm not sure if it's as relevant today (I'm saying I don't know not that it isn't relevant).