Lesson content
Scroll through numbered sections or jump via the outline.
What you'll take away
- Copyright exists on creation for code, blogs, videos, designs.
Copyright — default for code and content
Copyright exists on creation for code, blogs, videos, designs.
Registration at Copyright Office strengthens evidence in disputes (optional but useful).
Work-for-hire: employees — generally company owns; contractors need IP assignment clause.
Patents — when they matter
Novel, non-obvious technical invention with industrial application.
Long timeline (2–4 years) and cost — rare for pure software unless technical effect in India.
Hardware, medtech, agri-tech, deeptech see stronger patent value.
Trade secrets
Algorithms, customer lists, pricing — protect via NDAs and access control, not publication.
Do not pitch detailed secret sauce in public demo days without protection strategy.
Open source risk
Using GPL code in proprietary product can force disclosure — legal review dependency trees.
MIT/Apache more permissive; still attribute notices.
Investor due diligence
IP assignment agreements from all founders and key contractors before data room opens.