Intellectual Property Questions


5 Votes
3 Answers
2.71K Views
If a startup makes a candidate write code for the interview process, does the code belong to the candidate or the startup?

A certain candidate applied for a certain company. The company asked the candidate to write some code for the interview process, and it turned out to be quite well written and could qualify as a...

asked Sep 6 '13 at 15:36
Blank
Somesh Mukherjee
149 points

5 Votes
2 Answers
2.82K Views
Co-founder/Majority Owner running company to the ground, what can I do?

Background: I am the CTO, co-founder and sole inventor of a very promising technology company (<25 people) and are sitting on a multi-billion $ opportunity, seriously!) . I now have a minority...

asked Aug 16 '13 at 04:32
Blank
Gupshup
52 points

1 Votes
1 Answers
1.66K Views
How to deal with IP

I have software developed for which I own all IP rights. I have an offer to start a new co (UK Based) with a few others. The new co will be equal shareholding and I have agreed to bring the...

asked Aug 19 '13 at 05:09
Blank
Steve N
73 points

8 Votes
5 Answers
2.88K Views
A Project Completed At Home - My Employer Wants Rights To The System

I currently work within a call centre as a manager and I have a lot of admin work to complete. During my own time, at home, on my own PC I started developing a system/tool via Excel that would...

asked Aug 21 '13 at 21:50
Blank
Jim Cullinane
41 points

3 Votes
3 Answers
2.49K Views
Patent assignment form ? how important is it?

Hi fellow entrepreneurs, I am the person who posted this question about a conflict with my co-founder. During discussion with my attorney, I discovered that while we filed for the patents (earlier...

asked Aug 23 '13 at 02:58
Blank
Gupshup
52 points

1 Votes
1 Answers
2.02K Views
How do I handle compensating a non-member of an LLC for IP?

My partners and I are in the process of forming an LLC for our startup. We're admittedly pretty new to this, and I'm confused about how to handle compensations for some IP a non-member contributed....

asked Jul 30 '13 at 23:28
Blank
Samuel Kordik
6 points

3 Votes
1 Answers
2.95K Views
Equity split for IP contributor vs part-time founder

I am founding a startup and trying to determine the correct equity split to expect. The situation is that at my former company (Company A), I developed some software, which is currently owned by...

asked Jul 17 '13 at 00:16
Blank
Randigoo
61 points

1 Votes
1 Answers
2.24K Views
Can I create open source out of an idea I voiced at my current employer after I quit?

Can I create open source out of an idea I voiced at my current employer after I quit? I've had this idea which would make the work my company does, and its competitors, more efficient. I voiced...

asked Jul 17 '13 at 10:45
Blank
Btd
11 points

1 Votes
3 Answers
1.8K Views
Obfuscating work for freelancers

I'm working on starting a small consultancy where I'm the head honcho for managing ideas, tasks, projects, clients, and workers. I want to use ultra cheap random Internet freelancers as much as...

asked Jun 9 '13 at 05:31
Blank
Themirror
130 points

1 Votes
1 Answers
2.31K Views
Equity split for odd relationship

I am developing a SaaS platform by bootstrapping with sweat equity while covering the bills with a full time job. I am probably 2-3 months away from launching a viable public beta, and to this...

asked Jun 28 '13 at 09:39
Blank
Shaun
8 points

4 Votes
2 Answers
2.98K Views
How do I prove that its all my IP

I'm involved in a deal where an industry organization is attempting to white label my software. Their Chairperson is a lawyer, so they are cautious on the legal stuff. They want to be absolutely...

asked May 15 '13 at 12:34
Blank
Dmurtagh
157 points

0 Votes
1 Answers
4.54K Views
Is dominoes game public domain

I'm contemplating writing an Android version of the dominoes game which I'll release in Google Play and I wondered if there's a chance of committing a copyright infringement by doing so. I did a...

asked May 27 '13 at 14:49
Blank
Asenovm
106 points

-2 Votes
2 Answers
1.7K Views
Copying content from old versions of a software of another company - possible without trobles?

I know that onces a software company makes any software, the aesthetic look and UI look of that software is automatically copyrighted, and thus any other company (read I) cannot copy it. Anyhow,...

asked May 27 '13 at 21:05
Blank
User221287
111 points

1 Votes
2 Answers
1.95K Views
Developing a product/service as a result of requirements of existing employer

A is currently employed at company X which in turn is a vendor for company Z. A realized that certain aspects of running the business for Z which X is failing at can be productized/offered as a...

asked May 2 '13 at 00:32
Blank
Moonstar2001
186 points

12 Votes
1 Answers
2.51K Views
There's a troll in my space - now what?

I've spent the last 3 months full-time building an alpha version of a web app, and developing a business plan for it. The alpha version is ready to launch. Recently I've stumbled upon the fact that...

asked Apr 15 '13 at 05:45
Blank
Amindfv
186 points

7 Votes
6 Answers
2.45K Views
Sticky IP situation

We are in a sticky situation, that is no ones fault but our own. We had approached a developer to join our startup. After showing him the project he was excited and decided to join. Our mistake was...

asked Apr 24 '13 at 15:13
Blank
Derek
164 points

1 Votes
2 Answers
2.52K Views
Who owns the Intellectual Property, Copyright and Patents created by Technical Co Founder?

I will be joining a new start-up as a technical partner. Other two partners are business administration role. I will be the one who will program everything from scratch and build the new web based...

asked Mar 26 '13 at 20:14
Blank
Abhijit Navale
245 points

1 Votes
2 Answers
1.85K Views
building an application at work, want to spin it into a business

I am building a custom sales portal at my place of employment, a large company. I would like to start a saas business that uses the same features I am building for the custom project at work. I...

asked Mar 31 '13 at 10:36
Blank
Jack Smorenson
6 points

1 Votes
2 Answers
2.49K Views
Implementation partners-protecting source code

I have an existing SAAS platform and I am in the process of working with multiple implementation partners or vendors for some enhancements. How do I make sure my source code is protected? Some of...

asked Mar 7 '13 at 03:35
Blank
User8226
197 points

1 Votes
1 Answers
1.95K Views
Can I resubmit under my company an abandon patent that was under my name?

If I submitted a patent under my personal name and it was abandoned, can I later resubmit or rather submit it under my company name?

asked Mar 7 '13 at 11:07
Blank
Sdm
6 points