When you need to protect your invention using the patent process, you may enter into a discussion with a patent examiner before a patent application can be granted. The patent application undergoes an assessment by a patent examiner to check whether it is patentable. It is the patent examiner's role to make sure that only concepts that are new and not obvious are afforded patent protection. The patent examiner has a duty to ensure that applicants do not obtain invalid patents.

During the patenting process, the patent examiner will provide their comments and opinions as to their assessment of whether the invention as described in the patent application is novel and inventive. The patent examiner usually does this by first issuing a written report. This report has different terms. This report is called different things in different countries, but is also known as an office action, an examination report or a notice.

A patent document (either a patent application or a granted patent) is often seen as a complicated document which is actually difficult to understand. But as an inventor it's often important to try to work out what a patent is describing. This might be because you want to understand what a competitor is doing, or because a patent attorney has asked you for your comments. Therefore this post aims to help an inventor understand how to interpret a patent document.

If you're a founder, you've probably heard the phrase "learn from failure." But when it comes to IP, some failures are too expensive to learn the hard way. I know, because I’ve made most of them. And sharing your mistakes is one of the most powerful ways of teaching others.

I’ve built deep tech companies, filed over 40 patents personally, and helped manage more than 300 patent families. I’ve also screwed up more IP strategy than I care to admit. And in a world where one bad decision can hand your entire moat to a competitor, those lessons stick.

So let’s get into the IP mistakes I’ll never make again!

When you protect an invention in a patenting process, it is normal to describe your invention in a way that a patent attorney can understand it. It is then the patent attorney's role to turn the words and inventor's description of the invention into a patent application. It is very common at the start of the patenting process to ask inventors to describe their invention. Often a patent attorney will ask the inventor to fill out a form - sometimes this is called an invention disclosure form, an invention disclosure statement, or an invention submission form etc.

Whether you're raising your first round, negotiating a strategic partnership, or preparing for an exit—your leverage determines your terms. You cannot compete, or even sell to, large incumbents without leverage. And your discussions with investors will depend on how much leverage you have.

One of the most overlooked (and underused) levers in the startup world? 

Patents.

Filing a patent application may be one of the smartest decisions a startup can make, but for many founders patents are also a source of headache. The process of filing a patent application can seem technical, expensive, and hard to navigate. I share those concerns. As a patent attorney with a background in engineering and business, I help startups protect their ideas in a way that fits their technology and growth strategy. The clients I work with don’t consider patents as just legal documents, but also business assets.

This guide addresses the key questions startups typically ask me when approaching patents and other intellectual property rights, with a clear and practical perspective on how to do it correctly in today’s tech landscape.

WEBINAR: What if we struck gold? - a Fireside chat

WEBINAR: Hardware Companies Protecting Software - a Fireside chat

I get asked about 10 times a week how to protect AI-based technologies and products. It’s a tricky question, because patenting software inventions can be very tough in the US (and Europe), as the patent office dislikes providing protection for abstract ideas.

But let’s simplify the question by just looking at what the much-discussed OpenAI has done in this space. To date, OpenAI has 12 granted US patents. We don’t know how many more are pending, likely because those applications are still unpublished. What we can say is that they don’t seem to be pursuing protection outside of the US for their technology.

WEBINAR: Hardware Companies Protecting Software - a Fireside chat

A lot of innovative, creative, and brilliant people work behind the scenes at Lightbringer. In Team Talks, you will get to know the people/experts behind the AI. This time, we want to highlight our Product Specialists, who serve as the bridge between innovative entrepreneurs and the sometimes complex world of patent applications.

Jessica Karlsson and My Reimer share how they ended up at Lightbringer, what a regular day looks like, and how they help entrepreneurs protect their groundbreaking ideas. With backgrounds in biomedicine and electrical engineering, as well as startup experience, our specialists use their diverse expertise to simplify the patent process and allow inventors to focus on what they do best: innovate.

Are you wondering how to protect your innovation from corporate giants? Concerned about the true cost of a patent?

Join us for a highly requested live Q&A session in the webinar series "Patents for Entrepreneurs," led by serial entrepreneur Ola Wassvik. This is your chance to ask experienced patent attorneys anything about IP strategy, patent costs, enforcement, and more.

Looking back, it's great to see the progress we have made. We started the year with just two product developers, and I'm happy to say we've grown into a team of six incredibly talented contributors. Each team member brings unique expertise and perspective to our mission of transforming patent protection through technology.

Happy New Year! As we move into 2025, we want to take a moment to reflect on the articles and content we published last year. From company updates to practical insights for innovators, here’s a recap of our most-read from the past year.

Lightbringer started as a simple vision: "Drive innovation by democratizing patent protection".  That vision is becoming reality. Today, we're announcing a €4.2m investment in Lightbringer in a successful funding round, led by venture capital firms Luminar Ventures, Alliance VC, and Zenith Ventures, and with participation from notable angel investors from the tech industry. 

The Swedish company Lightbringer continues to break new ground in patent protection with its advanced AI technology. The company has secured €4.2 million in a successful funding round led by venture capital firms Luminar Ventures and Alliance VC.

Are you a tech entrepreneur with growth ambitions? Do you want to learn more about how your company can maximize business value from your ideas, technology, and innovations? Take the chance to pick the brain of serial entrepreneur Ola Wassvik (Lightbringer) in our upcoming webinar.

For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), navigating the patent process can be complex and costly. However, avoiding certain common mistakes can significantly improve the chances of obtaining strong, valuable patents that align with business goals. Below, we outline the eight common pitfalls SMEs face patenting - and how you can avoid them.