IP strategy for startups

Updated: 2026-08-28

Answers the two practical questions: on the budget you have, what to register first and what can wait.

Startups rarely have the budget to do everything, so the value is in the ordering, not in a complete list. The cheapest items — correct contract clauses, an early trademark filing — are the most often skipped and the most expensive to fix later.

• Who may perform this: Industrial property representative or IP adviser
• Timeline: Typically 1–2 weeks
• How pricing works: Quoted by scope; the cost estimator shows the official-fee portion in advance.

Deliverables

• A map of existing IP assets and the gaps to close
• A registration priority order with a phased budget estimate
• A list of actions to take now that cost no official fees

What you provide

• Your product, brand and target markets
• Your fundraising or expansion plan, if any

Contents

• Which procedure to use, and what it costs
• Copyright, trademark or patent — which one
• Startups and IP — the cheapest steps, most often skipped