Stage 2.5: Establish IP Strategy
🧠 What this stage is about
You don’t need a patent to innovate — but you do need a plan.
This stage helps you protect what makes your idea valuable, and avoid costly IP mistakes later on.
🔍 What you’ll consider
- What part of your idea is actually protectable
- Whether patents, trademarks, or design rights apply
- How to avoid infringing on someone else’s IP
- When and how to start documenting your work
🧰 Tools and steps
- IP Overview Matrix – compare the different types of protection
- Prior Art Search Guide – check what’s already been filed
- Provisional Filing Checklist – for early-stage patent steps
- Creative Commons or Open Source Strategy – if you plan to share IP intentionally
⚠️ Risks to flag early
- Sharing too much too soon (especially online or with partners)
- Skipping IP research and stepping into someone else’s territory
- Waiting too long to file — and missing protection windows
- Assuming IP is only about patents
💬 Founder insight
“Getting clarity on IP early helped us avoid a huge mistake — our first concept was too close to an existing patent.”“We used design rights and trademarks instead of patents. Faster, cheaper, and still protective.”
🔗 Related stages
🖼️ Visual overview
💾 Download
A starter tool to track what’s protectable — and what needs guarding.