Category: Patent Filing

Most founders don’t think about pruning their patents. They think the hard part is filing them. But the real challenge comes later—when your startup grows, your roadmap shifts, and you now have a pile of filings you’re paying for but not sure you still need. Patent pruning is the quiet skill that helps smart teams…

Most patent portfolios grow in messy ways. A startup files a few early ideas. Engineers build new features. A new hire suggests something bold. Investors push for “more IP.” Before long, you’re sitting on a pile of patents and applications that may—or may not—match where your company is heading. Why Every Startup Needs a Portfolio…

Most people who buy annuities think they’re choosing a calm, steady path for their money. Something safe. Something predictable. Something that won’t shift under their feet. But once you dig into how annuities actually work, you find a different story hiding behind the glossy charts and smooth sales talk. Currency shifts, foreign exchange rules, and…

When you run a startup, time is your fuel. You move fast, you build fast, and you expect everything around you to keep up. But there’s one part of the patent world that slows almost everyone down: annuity payments. They aren’t fun. They aren’t exciting. And if you miss even one, you can lose the…

Global annuities sound simple on the surface—you pay to keep your patent alive, and each country wants that payment on time. But the moment you start looking across borders, things get messy fast. Every country has its own timing rules, its own fee structure, its own grace periods, its own penalties, and its own little…

Letting a patent lapse sounds scary the first time you think about it. Most founders assume every patent must be protected forever or the whole company is at risk. But the truth is more practical. Smart teams let some patents go all the time. Not because they don’t care about their IP, but because they…

When you miss a patent maintenance fee, it feels like the floor drops out from under you. One moment you’re building your product, closing customers, or writing code. The next moment you’re staring at a notice from the USPTO that makes your stomach twist. The truth is simple: missing a maintenance fee can put your…

Paying patent maintenance fees shouldn’t feel scary or confusing. Yet for many founders, engineers, and inventors, it becomes one of those tasks you push off until it feels urgent. The USPTO doesn’t make things easier, and the Patent Center interface can feel like a maze when all you want to do is keep your patent…

When you’re building something new, every dollar matters. And when you’re filing a patent, the fees can stack up fast. The good news is that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office gives big discounts to inventors and startups that qualify as small entities or micro entities. These aren’t fancy terms. They’re simply ways to help…

Most founders don’t think about USPTO fee deadlines until a scary email or a sudden “wait… did we miss something?” moment hits. And honestly, it makes sense. You’re building. You’re shipping. You’re fixing bugs at midnight. You’re trying not to run out of money. The last thing on your mind is a countdown clock tied…