Section 6: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

This section should summarize how the company will protect the intellectual property that enables commercialization of its products while keeping competitors at bay. If the company does not yet have the IP it needs, discuss the licensing/filing strategy to make sure that no one else gets it first. If IP is not a critical component of the business, explain why (e.g. sometimes getting to market first with a non-proprietary product is more effective than delaying just to develop a patent protected version).

• What patents protect the technology, to whom do they belong, when do they expire, and how can they be used to block potential competitors?
• What patents exist that may block you from using your own technology, to whom do they belong, when do they expire, and will you be able to licenses them?