Patent, Trademark, IP Protection and Monetization Podcasts
Learn how to protect and monetize your inventions and brands from PatentPC experts. Listen any time — just register with your email to view each podcast.
Patent Strategry
Patent Strategry
bao trang

MVP vs Patent: What Should Startup Founders Do First? | IP Strategy for Startups
Should you build your MVP before filing a patent, or protect your invention before launching? This is one of the most common—and costly—questions startup founders face. In this webinar, registered patent attorney Bao Tran, founder of Patent PC, breaks down the critical timing decisions surrounding MVP development, patent filing, public disclosures, trade secrets, and intellectual property protection. Whether you're building a SaaS platform, AI startup, hardware innovation, or deep-tech company, understanding when and how to protect your IP can make a significant difference in fundraising, valuation, and long-term competitive advantage. You'll learn what actually counts as a public disclosure, how demo days, pitch competitions, GitHub repositories, blog posts, and product launches can impact your patent rights, and how to safely validate your idea without sacrificing future protection. Bao also explains the differences between provisional patents, non-provisional patents, trade secrets, and NDAs, helping founders choose the right strategy based on their stage, budget, and business goals. In this session, you'll discover: ✅ MVP vs Patent: Which should come first? ✅ What qualifies as a public disclosure under patent law ✅ How the U.S. patent grace period works—and why international founders should be careful ✅ When to file a provisional patent application ✅ How to protect AI models, algorithms, software, and hardware innovations ✅ Safe ways to conduct customer interviews, beta tests, and pilot programs ✅ Patent vs trade secret strategies for startups ✅ IP budgeting and filing timelines for SaaS, AI, and hardware companies ✅ Common mistakes that can destroy patent rights before fundraising If you're preparing for a product launch, raising venture capital, building proprietary technology, or developing an intellectual property strategy, this webinar provides a practical framework to help you make smarter decisions and avoid expensive mistakes.
Bao Tran, Patent Attorney
IP Pitch Deck Mistakes
In this expert-led session, registered patent attorney Bao Tran, founder of Patent PC, breaks down how startups can transform their intellectual property (IP) strategy into a powerful fundraising and valuation tool. Designed for founders, startups, and early-stage companies, this webinar reveals how to move beyond generic “moat” slides and build a credible, investor-ready IP narrative that actually drives deal confidence. Most pitch decks fail because they rely on buzzwords like “network effects,” “brand,” or “AI.” In this session, you’ll learn why venture capitalists routinely dismiss these claims—and what they actually look for when evaluating startup defensibility. Instead of vague promises, investors want documented, verifiable, and business-linked IP assets. Bao Tran walks you through how to design a strong IP slide that includes patents, trade secrets, trademarks, proprietary data, and licensing strategy—all tied directly to revenue impact, customer retention, and competitive advantage. You’ll also learn how to avoid common startup IP mistakes such as unclear ownership of code, missing contractor assignments, weak open-source compliance, and unprotected product launches. The webinar provides a practical framework for building a valuation-relevant IP strategy across SaaS, AI, and deep tech startups. It includes real-world examples of strong vs. weak pitch deck slides, how investors think during diligence, and how to preempt critical questions about ownership, freedom-to-operate risks, and patent defensibility. By the end of this session, founders will be equipped with a ready-to-use one-page IP narrative template that can be inserted directly into a pitch deck to strengthen fundraising outcomes and increase investor confidence. Key Topics Covered: Why investors ignore most “moat” slides in pitch decks How to build a credible, defensible IP strategy for startups Turning patents, trade secrets, and trademarks into valuation drivers Common IP mistakes that kill funding deals during diligence How to structure an investor-ready IP slide for SaaS, AI, and deep tech Real examples of strong vs. weak startup IP narratives How to link intellectual property directly to revenue and growth Perfect for founders preparing for seed funding, Series A fundraising, or investor due diligence, this session shows how strategic intellectual property can become one of the strongest competitive advantages in your startup’s growth story.
Bao Tran, Patent Attorney