For many companies, especially tech startups, intellectual property (IP) and technology are the cornerstones of the business. We recently sat down with Steve Charkoudian, partner and chair of Goodwin Procter’s Technology Transactions Practice and a member of the firm’s Technology Companies Group, to discuss common IP-related mistakes founders make when launching their company. Steve explains how such mistakes can ultimately impact a potential investment or acquisition down the road. These missteps include:
- Not giving enough consideration to employee Non-disclosure and Invention Assignment Agreements that founders signed when working with previous employers.
- Skipping the IP Contribution Agreement and thus failing to formally assign, to the company, all the early-stage materials developed in support of the business model (slide decks, outlines, etc.).
- Having the proper employee and contractor agreements in place to proactively assign, to the company, any IP that’s created by employees and contractors during their company tenure.
Watch the full video to learn how you can avoid or rectify these common errors and the steps you need to take to safeguard IP. Having the proper protection in place ensures that IP remains an asset – not a roadblock – during the funding or sale stage of your business.