2018 Startup GUIDE - 10th Edition
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COVER STORIES 53<br />
P&TS<br />
tions might be difficult to understand, but if you really decide to file<br />
one, you should be able to explain exactly what is the core unique<br />
aspect of your invention which differentiates it from existing technologies.<br />
After all, patent applications are also a marketing tool to<br />
impress investors, and you will be much more convincing if you can<br />
comfortably pitch the invention for which you have an exclusivity.<br />
Having a good patent portfolio, and an effective organisation for<br />
handling trade secrets for copyright is very important; but this<br />
should not prevent you from monitoring what your competitors<br />
are doing. It is bad enough if you forget to file a patent application<br />
and so lose out on a growth opportunity in the future. However, it<br />
is even worse if you spend months or years developing your own<br />
solution, only to discover later that you cannot sell this product because<br />
a competitor has already been granted a patent for it. Often,<br />
the most effective way to manage your risks in start-ups that invest<br />
heavily in R&D is by carrying out a freedom-to-operate search.<br />
Start-ups often underestimate trademarks in their strategy. Indeed,<br />
a new and lesser-known trademark has no value, therefore<br />
why would you spend money on protecting it? However, this is a<br />
much too short-term approach; in the long-term, your technology<br />
might become obsolete, your patents will lapse, but the value<br />
of your trademarks will increase steadily over time, provided the<br />
protection was effective right from the start.<br />
Start-ups, and even SMEs, do not have unlimited resources and<br />
cannot take all the steps that might be recommended to improve<br />
their IP situation. Priorities should be defined, within an IP roadmap,<br />
in order to set up an IP strategy which is suitable for your<br />
start-up.<br />
Facts and Contact<br />
Organization<br />
P&TS Ltd<br />
Foundation 1998<br />
Mission Statement<br />
Employees 25<br />
Postal Address<br />
Contact Person<br />
CHRISTOPHE SAAM<br />
European Patent Attorney<br />
CEO and founder<br />
of P&TS SA<br />
Helping the best companies in Switzerland<br />
to protect their Intellectual Property<br />
Av. J.-J. Rousseau 4, 2001 Neuchâtel<br />
Nordstrasse 8, 8001 Zurich<br />
Christophe Saam, CEO, Patent Attorney<br />
saam@patentattorneys.ch<br />
+41 32 72 71 427<br />
Webpage<br />
www.patentattorneys.ch<br />
SWISS STARTUP <strong>GUIDE</strong> <strong>2018</strong>
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