Manage intellectual property

Who this is for

Founder led lower-middle market companies with 5 to 50 million in annual revenue that create software, processes, or content while they scale.

The quick answer

Make ownership unambiguous. Use invention assignment and confidentiality for employees and contractors. State IP terms in every customer and supplier contract. Keep a simple IP register for patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and licences. Limit access on a need to know basis and review rights after staff changes.

The method in eight steps

  1. Get the paperwork right
    Use employment and contractor agreements with invention assignment and confidentiality. Re execute missing paperwork at the next review.

  2. Set contract IP terms
    State who owns what in every customer, partner, and supplier agreement. Confirm rights to use pre existing materials and tools.

  3. Create an IP register
    List patents, trademarks, copyrights, domain names, trade secrets, and licences. Record owners, renewal dates, and where items live.

  4. Protect trade secrets
    Limit access to need to know. Mark confidential materials. Use shared repositories with permissions rather than ad hoc storage.

  5. Add an open source policy
    If you ship software, record components and licences. Approve new libraries through a short checklist.

  6. Control access and offboarding
    Remove accounts the same day people leave. Confirm return or destruction of confidential materials.

  7. Monitor and defend
    Set alerts on brand terms. Track suspicious reuse of content or code. Escalate with a light notice process.

  8. Review twice a year
    Update the register, renew rights, and self audit contract IP clauses.

Example

A company formalised invention assignment and added an IP register. During an acquisition review, clean records reduced diligence time and protected value.

Pitfalls and fixes

  • Missing contractor agreements. Use the same invention assignment you use for employees.

  • Ambiguous ownership in customer work. Reserve rights to your tools and templates.

  • Loose access controls. Use groups and remove access on the day of departure.

Checklist

  • Signed invention assignment and confidentiality

  • Contract IP clauses standardised

  • IP register live and reviewed

  • Access rules and offboarding steps

  • Open source and brand monitoring

Related links

Want clean IP ownership and simple controls. Contact Founded Partners and we will set the agreements, the register, and the access rules with you.