MVP vs Patent: What Should Startup Founders Do First? | IP Strategy for Startups
Presented by Bao Tran, Patent Attorney
About this podcast
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.