IP problems don't announce themselves early. They surface in acquisition diligence, when it's too late.
This series covers the IP fundamentals that determine whether your portfolio, and your fund, is built on defensible ground: from a founder's first filing decision to the diligence questions every manager should be asking before writing a check. Get it wrong and you discover the problem at the worst possible time, usually in an acquisition data room. Get it right and you build companies that are fundable, defensible, and worth what you think they are.
Part 1: IP Diligence Guide for New and Emerging VCs.
New and emerging VCs don't have to be IP experts. But doing basic IP diligence is a critical part of being a good fiduciary responsible for your LPs' money.
Knowing what to look for, and how to find it fast, is a massive advantage for a new VC. Our guide tells you how.
Let's drill in on one of the most valuable IP assets a company can own: a patent.
You're moving fast, and investing faster. Does your high-growth tech startup need to file? (The answer is usually: YES, YESTERDAY.) Our guide walks you through what you need to know.
Part 3: Having a Patent Doesn't Mean You're Free to Operate.
Freedom to Operate is the IP risk that founders don't know to worry about and investors forget to ask about, right up until it becomes the only thing anyone can talk about.
A company can have a strong IP portfolio and still be infringing on someone else's — and that problem almost always surfaces at the worst possible moment: in acquisition diligence.
Kathryn Vattis an intellectual property global strategist who advises venture-backed companies and fund managers on patent strategy, IP diligence, and freedom-to-operate analysis. She works with emerging managers and their portfolio companies at the intersection of legal protection and commercial strategy.
Decile Partners get exclusive introductions to Kathryn, as well as experts like her across other Centers of Excellence.
About Decile Group's Centers of Excellence
Decile Group believes AI is changing how the venture ecosystem works, but there's no substitute for deep human expertise. That's why we build Centers of Excellence around practitioners who have done the work.
This content is open source because a better-informed ecosystem benefits everyone. Decile Partners get more than the articles. They get direct access to the experts behind them.
Join VC Lab
VC Lab, the leading venture capital accelerator, empowers new and emerging managers worldwide to close ethical, high-performing funds in under six months. The program provides cutting-edge tools, expert mentorship, and a global network to raise more money in less time. Apply if you want to build a meaningful venture capital firm.
