Hardware and Device Startups

Startups listed here either won the free throw or have an active Promoted listing, and a person reviews every one. Promoted listings are labeled and are paid placements, not endorsements.

Hardware startups build physical products: consumer gadgets, industrial equipment, sensors, wearables and components. They are more capital-intensive than software, with tooling, inventory and certification costs, and they are also the businesses where patents are most often worth considering.

If your invention is novel, the timing of a patent filing relative to any public demo or sale matters a great deal. The IP guides below explain provisional applications, patents versus trade secrets and how to choose a registered practitioner.

Listings

Key terms for hardware and devices founders

• Provisional Patent Application
• Utility Patent
• Patent Pending
• Prior Art
• Trade Secret

Guides worth reading

• Provisional Patent Application: A Startup Guide IP guideHow a provisional patent application works for startups: the 12-month deadline, what it protects, patent pending meaning, and provisional vs nonprovisional.
• Patent vs Trade Secret: Which Fits Your Startup? IP guidePatent vs trade secret for startups: how each works, how long they last, the patent disclosure requirement, and how to decide, including for software.
• Patent Attorney vs Patent Agent for a Startup IP guidePatent attorney vs patent agent: what each can do, how costs differ, how to hire one for your startup, and how to verify a practitioner on the USPTO roster.

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