Comments
Start-ups should think about filing for patents at an early stage to protect themselves from possible IP (intellectual property) infringements and also increase their valuation, say industry players.
Many start-ups are only now waking up to the idea of filing for patents, as awareness about the implications of IP infringement is increasing, they argue.
IP infringement
Arvind Pani, co-founder and CEO, Reverie Language Technologies Pvt Ltd, said: “With the influx of various mobile brands in the country, especially Chinese mobiles, the possibility of infringement for companies like us is more.”
Reverie provides regional language capabilities in devices. Its technology was recently copied by a Chinese OEM for sale in India. The alleged infringement was revealed during routine random checks the company does on non-Android feature phones here. It was able to take legal action and emerge triumphant, thanks to IP protection. “But not all start-ups can, and it could have an adverse impact on the company if it is their main product line,” Pani explained.
Swathi Sukumar, an IP lawyer, agrees that there needs to be a shift in attitude regarding filing for patents, and it is important for start-ups to think about IP early. Companies should be sensitive to what can be patented and make adequate investments in IP, she added.
Shashank Agarwal, co-founder, ThirdWatch, said that in the field of technology, where you cannot protect anything tangible, the ideas at least have to be protected. That is a key reason for patenting, he added. ThirdWatch applied for a patent recently.
Despite the huge cost, companies should invest in filing for IP such as trademarks and copyright, said Vivek Venugopalan, Chief Technology Officer, Fantain, a sports fan management, analytics and gaming platform that is in the process of applying for patents. “While you might not see the value initially it is important in the long run,” he added.
Venugopalan further said that while the patent is to protect the interests of the company, it also improves its valuation.
Comments
COMMENT NOW
Comments
Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.
We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of TheHindu Businessline and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.