Occasionally, I hear from a software entrepreneur with a “patented” or “patent pending” idea.  Many people view patents in a almost glamorous way:  “Get a patent, and you can control your idea“.  I’ve done a lot of patent work (15 issued, including two of the most cited patents in US history), and it’s never that simple.  Patents are very tricky.

For startups, patents make the most sense in industries with (a) relatively long development times and (b) significant R&D budgets.  The PTO doesn’t move quickly:  for some art units, it can take 2-3 years (or more) to get a patent issued.  That’s fine for a biotech company bringing a new drug to market, but is much too long for a software company launching a product in six months.

Also, patents can be very expensive.  For a $750,000 seed round, it may not make sense to spend ~5% of that (or more) on getting US patents filed.  International?  Budget six figures.

Finally, fundraising entrepreneurs frequently overplay the value of patents, missing the other elements needed to make a successful business and making themselves look naïve.  For example, “provisional patents” don’t exist:  it’s a provisional application that gives an option to file for a utility patent later (and it’s just that, an application).  “Patented” means patent issued and in force, “patent pending” means a patent filed but not issued.

If you don’t have an issued patent, it’s a long and expensive journey:  claims are often rejected entirely or issued very narrowly.  It’s nearly impossible to know what a patent is worth until it issues.