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Key Takeaways Many founders delay patents, thinking they are expensive, unnecessary, or only useful for litigation.
In reality, startups with patents are far more likely to raise funding, protect their technology and gain leverage during acquisition talks.
Filing early, even with provisionals, prevents self-inflicted loss of IP rights and keeps costs manageable.
I talk to founders every week who tell me patents aren’t their priority now. They’re focused on building products, shipping them to customers and pitching investors. Many assume IP protection can wait.
But if you look at who’s getting funded and who’s getting acquired, a different picture starts to emerge. An EPO–EUIPO study found that startups with patents are 10 times as likely to raise early-stage funding.
In this piece, I’ll unpack the most common misconceptions I hear from founders around patents. Later, I’ll share how getting your strategy right early can unlock capital, protection and leverage when it matters most to your startup.
So let’s start with the myths.
Related: Your Big Idea Is Worth Protecting — That’s Why You Need to Patent Your Invention
Misconception #1: We don’t need patents to succeed
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