What Every Founder Must Know about Patents

What Every Founder Must Know about Patents

Author: Burkland October 8, 2024 Duration: 32:09

For startups, even software startups, figuring out what is worth patenting is one of the most important moves a founder needs to make.

That’s where our guest today comes in. Jeff Schox, Founding Partner and Patent Attorney at Schox Patent Group, is a patent expert who’s helped hundreds of very successful startups navigate this rocky terrain.

Jeff joins us to give startup founders a basic primer on everything they need to know about patents – an often misunderstood and overlooked area. Right off the bat, Jeff dispels the three biggest myths about startup patents (1. Software isn't patentable / 2. If we can't enforce the patent, it doesn't have value / 3. The biggest costs of a patent portfolio are the legal fees). And he explains how startups can take a strategic approach to patent filing that safeguards future innovation and fuels future growth.

We also discuss:

  • All the key components around patents a founder must know
  • The value of filing a provisional patent, especially for startups
  • Why determining the valuation of patents is so tricky
  • How a good patent attorney’s key role is strategic partner
  • The strict deadline after which you can never pursue a patent

This episode is truly a must-listen as it gives founders valuable knowledge on patents and patent strategies for ensuring long-term success.

----
Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn

Tuning into Startup Success: A Podcast for Founders & Investors feels less like attending a formal lecture and more like pulling up a chair in a room full of people who have actually built and funded companies. Hosted by the team at Burkland, the conversations here move beyond theory to focus on the tangible, often messy, realities of scaling a business. You’ll find episodes that feel timely, addressing the specific challenges and opportunities that founders and investors are navigating right now. The dialogue is driven by guests who have lived it-founders recounting pivotal moments from their journey and investors explaining the nuances behind their decisions. This isn't about generic advice; it's about the operational details that make or break growth. Each discussion naturally narrows in on a single, critical pressure point, whether that's untangling a complex financing round, refining a go-to-market strategy, or building a culture that can withstand rapid hiring. The value of this podcast lies in its specificity and the credibility of the voices featured. It serves as a practical resource for anyone actively involved in the lifecycle of a startup, offering perspectives that are immediately applicable to your own work. By focusing on real stories and current trends, the series provides a grounded, actionable look at what genuine progress requires from both sides of the founder-investor relationship.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Startup Success: A Podcast for Founders & Investors
Podcast Episodes
Why Founders Need “Scalers” on Their Early Teams [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:05
Casey Woo, CEO & Founder of Operators Guild and GP & Founder of FOG Ventures, joins us on Startup Success to discuss how scaling a startup has changed and why founders need “horizontal generalists,” or scalers, on their…
Q1 2026 Snapshot: The Startup Ecosystem [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:47
What does the startup landscape look like right now—and what to expect in Q2?In this episode of Startup Success, Steve Lord, Chief Knowledge Officer and COO at Burkland, returns for his quarterly breakdown of the venture…
The New Startup Go-To-Market Playbook [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:50
In this episode of Startup Success, Kate sits down with Marlena Sarunac, co-founder and fractional CMO at The Company Advice, a marketing firm for startups. They help startups clarify their category, sharpen their messag…
Venture Debt: The Essential Guide for Founders [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:47
In this episode of Startup Success, Kate sits down with Marshall Hawks, author of Venture Debt Deals and a venture lending leader with two decades of experience, including 16 years at Silicon Valley Bank, helping founder…
Profitability Before Funding: How One Startup Did It [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:50
In this episode of Startup Success, Kate sits down with Joseph Rutakangwa, Co-Founder and CEO of Rwazi, a decision AI platform that helps enterprise teams drive growth. Joseph shares his remarkable journey—from growing u…
A Case Study on How to Build a Mission-Driven Startup [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:38
In this episode of Startup Success, Kate talks with Tanya Van Court, Founder and CEO of Goalsetter, an award-winning financial education platform transforming how people learn about money.Inspired by a personal financial…
Venture Capital, Reimagined: A Conversation with Mike Collins [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:09
VC pioneer Mike Collins built his firm around his passionate belief that venture capital investing shouldn’t be limited to a select few. In this episode of Startup Success, host Kate sits down with Mike Collins, Founder…
2026 Outlook: The Startup Ecosystem [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:17
We’re kicking off 2026 with a returning favorite: Steve Lord, Burkland's COO and Head of Knowledge Share. He joins us to unpack what really happened in 2025—and what founders should be paying attention to now for 2026.In…
How to Build Product-Market Fit Without Sacrificing Culture [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:18
From power washing in Kansas to translating 30 languages in real time—Kevin Turpin’s entrepreneurial journey is anything but ordinary.In this episode of Startup Success, we welcome Kevin Turpin, CEO and founder of Weavix…
Purpose-Led Growth: How this Startup Built Revenue & Social Impact [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:37
Where innovation meets purpose—HOPE Hydration is proving that sustainability can be both smart and scalable. In this episode of Startup Success, host Kate sits down with HOPE Hydration co-founders Jorge Richardson and Cr…