IP Risks of Reward Crowdfunding – PART III: Losing Your Brand
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IP Risks of Reward Crowdfunding – PART III: Losing Your Brand

It is tempting to include a catchy name for your product in your crowdfunding proposal in the hopes of attracting attention from potential donors. However, it is important to be aware of the risks posed by crowdfunding to the ownership of your trademark. In the U.S. and Canada, the first party to use a trademark…

IP Risks of Reward Crowdfunding – PART II: Losing Control of Your Idea
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IP Risks of Reward Crowdfunding – PART II: Losing Control of Your Idea

While crowdfunding platforms can give entrepreneurs access to customers and capital, they also present many risks that can cause unsuspecting entrepreneurs to lose control of their ideas. For instance, crowdfunding puts the ideas of many early stage entrepreneurs at risk of being stolen by better-funded investors or large corporations since many crowdfunding users will lack…

IP Risks of Reward Crowdfunding – PART I: Patents
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IP Risks of Reward Crowdfunding – PART I: Patents

If you read the terms and conditions that govern your use of any crowdfunding platform, you will quickly discover that crowdfunding platforms do not offer any protection for your intellectual property. Therefore, public disclosure of your intellectual property on these platforms can have a significant impact on its legal status. It is also important to…

The JOBS Act and Crowdfunding

The JOBS Act and Crowdfunding

In April of 2012, Congress passed legislation permitting equity and debt crowdfunding. This was done through the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act as a means of stimulating the American economy. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) must issue its rules and regulations before non-accredited investors can take advantage of this opportunity, although Georgia and…