Ofri Ben-Porat, co-founder and CEO of deep tech AI business Edgify
Peter Finnie, partner and patent attorney at IP law firm Potter Clarkson, says YES:
Consider IP protection from the belief the customer is always right. Across countless industries, founders determine what customers want, make it and then sell it. Investors will want security and certainty around protection for the technology they’re committing to. By skipping the crucial step of acquiring a patent portfolio, founders restrict their ability to play the long game.
By defensively publishing the inventive concept, an investor is subsequently denied the opportunity to protect their investment and now any other party can freely use the technology. It’s like Willy Wonka opening himself up to Slugworth and expecting everyone else in the industry to do likewise.