Your intellectual property (IP) can be the most valuable part of your startup. Yet too many founders treat it as an afterthought. Here’s why that’s a mistake—and how to build a solid IP strategy with help from the experts at Potter Clarkson.
1. How to Build Your IP Strategy
Intellectual property is a key driver of long-term value, especially for innovation-led startups. Building an IP strategy should be one of the first tasks on your to-do list, not something you try to retro-fit later.
Start with your business plan—then map your IP to it. That means understanding what you’ve created (and are planning to create), how it gives you competitive advantage, and what you need to protect to preserve that edge.
A strong IP strategy helps guide everything from product development and investor pitches to partnership discussions and exit planning.
2. What Should My IP Strategy Cover?
Your IP strategy should be:
- Aligned to your commercial goals: Know how your IP adds value and what outcomes you want it to drive (e.g., licensing, acquisition, product expansion).
- Specific to your IP assets: Include patents, trademarks, copyright, trade secrets, software, know-how, and more.
- Clear on responsibilities: Who will manage IP internally? When will you bring in outside experts?
- Dynamic and proactive: Regularly updated as your product roadmap, tech stack, or team evolves.
3. Why This is Invaluable for Fundraising
Investors don’t just fund ideas—they fund defensible businesses.
A strong IP strategy signals:
✅ Valuation upside – Your IP can materially boost your valuation when protected and clearly tied to your product-market fit.
✅ Competitive moat – Investors look for protection against copycats and clear barriers to entry.
✅ Due diligence readiness – A documented IP strategy shows you’re investor-ready and serious about growth.
✅ Revenue potential – IP opens doors to licensing, partnerships, and international expansion.
In short, IP isn’t just legal admin—it’s a core pillar of your fundraising story.
4. How Potter Clarkson Can Help
Potter Clarkson are one of Europe’s leading IP law firms, and they’ve partnered with FundingHero to offer exclusive perks for our startup community:
💬 Get Your Free 30-Minute Chat with an Expert Patent Attorney!
- Log in to the FundingHero platform
- Head to the Partners section and find Potter Clarkson
- Download and complete the Invention Register
- Email it to [email protected] quoting “FundingHero”
You’ll be booked in for a free 1:1 to explore how to protect and maximise your IP.
🔍 Save £400 with Your Own Kick-StartIP Audit!
Kick-StartIP is Potter Clarkson’s flagship startup offer: a full IP audit including a face-to-face session reviewing your business plan, identifying your IP, and designing a tailored protection strategy.
Access your exclusive £400 discount on the FundingHero platform – just look for the Kick-StartIP PDF and start unlocking your IP advantage today.
