Start-Ups
Group at a Glance
- 10 members
- The group is active in the following entrepreneurial organizations:
- MIT Entrepreneurship Center — founding sponsor
- UMass/Amherst Technology Innovation Challenge — lead sponsor / judge
- MIT Enterprise Forum of Cambridge — gold sponsor
- WPI Venture Forum
- Desphande Center
- MIT Ignite Clean Energy (ICE) Business Competition — judge
- MIT Clean Energy Entrepreneurship Prize — judges and mentors
- Massachusetts Life Sciences Innovation Day — gold sponsor
- Smaller Business Association of New England — sponsor
- MIT $100K Business Plan Competition — judges (various years)
What Matters to Our Clients
We Identify with Entrepreneurs
Most young companies have more ideas and energy than money. Innovative by nature, entrepreneurs’ approaches to intellectual property can run the gamut from believing that every idea is a patentable goldmine, to overlooking the topic in the rush of growing a business. In reality, the development of a practical and cost-effective IP strategy is one of the most critical things a young company can do, and the choice of IP advisor one of the most important decisions to be made.
It is our honor to work with young companies, often staying with them through high growth periods and even beyond their acquisition. Our startup clients usually come to us because of our well-founded reputation for technical and legal excellence. What they soon discover is the profound impact our experience can have on their business—both long term and immediate.
We begin with an understanding of our clients’ hopes and business goals, as well as their potential IP opportunities and risks, and then create a portfolio strategy and roadmap for reaching those goals. Often we are able to point out very real applications of their technology in industries beyond their field of vision. We also know their competition, both real and potential.
Bringing the weight of our collective expertise across so many industries and technologies, we position our clients to build barriers to entry for competitors and minimize any existing infringement risks. As one measure of the value we bring to the table, serial entrepreneurs continue to seek us out as they launch and then move on to new enterprises.
Our start-up clients have also benefited from the fact our attorneys are networked into the local investment community and can help create valuable business connections for those seeking financing, management or marketing advice, or broader exposure to their key markets.
Creative Due Diligence Approach
Our attorneys are equally comfortable working with VCs and other investors looking to acquire or invest in companies with IP portfolios.
Through our experience in working with VCs and investors over the years, we have developed a customized due diligence process designed to be a cost-effective vehicle to inform a potential investor’s decision whether to invest in a company, and at what valuation. Focusing on the IP protection available to the company and any risk potentials, our due diligence methodology provides the investor with a clear and nuanced vision of the company’s IP assets that is both informative and actionable, in addition to a full review of all IP-related documents and agreements.
Areas of Expertise
Examples of our group's areas of expertise include:
