ABSTRACT
Effectively managing intellectual property assets is a difficult proposition for a new startup given the fiscal constraints nearly every new company will face. In particular, the cost of filing a patent ranges from $10,000 to $40,000. Additionally, all new green and high-tech startups should put standard employment and consulting agreements in place for all employees and consultants. This chapter provides the people with strategies to manage the patenting process for an early stage business. A provisional patent application (PPA) offers a company or individual to make a less complicated filing for $75. As a result, it is important to lay out a schedule for filing a provisional patent application that the people can overlay with the people budgeting. Filing a provisional patent allows the holder to claim the date of filing of the PPA as the original filing for purposes of priority, but permits the holder to wait up to one year for a full filing.
