Continuing with my story from a few weeks ago..
Entrepreneurism as it pertains to the startup scene is probably one of the hardest journeys anyone will ever embark on. Since first hand experiences are few and far in between, I made a conscious decision to document my own journey towards startup utopia.
The second step towards addressing the "problem-solution" is to put money where the mouth speaks. Literally this translated to hiring a patent attorney to speed up the process. Sped up because come to find out I am technically qualified to do patent searches myself. A feat in itself mind you. According to USPTO - The United States Patent and Trademark Office, any American with a Bachelors degree or higher in Engineering and passes a State administered Engineer-In-Training (EIT) exam is qualified to take the 100 question USPTO exam to become a registered patent agent.
Back to the speed...
An Intellectual Property lawyer is a convenient asset in the structure of a startup. Good ones cost. Quite a bit. But, if the idea is promising, many will discount services in leu of potential business interactions down the line as I will explain. Doing the search yourself will cost you the credentials first, the exam fees and passing the thing. Add to that the limitations of an agent will hinder how much they can enforce or file legal documents.
We met three lawyers over the past week and have chosen the one we feel the most connection. That is important because the perspective she brings is much needed. The following weeks will be sensitive at best. Everything is still very promising...
Stay tuned!