How to Protect IP and Confidentiality in a Software Company

Protect your intellectual property and trade secrets with IP & Confidentiality Agreements that prove your company took reasonable measures to keep them secret.

Maintained in the open at github.com/Golden-Section-Tx/playbook · CC BY-SA 4.0

PlayersFounder, CTO
Initial Effort5 SP
Ongoing2 SP
FrequencyAs Needed
StagePre-Revenue

A trade secret gives your company a competitive advantage as long as it remains a secret. Trade secrets include source code, customer lists, business and strategy plans, and employee lists, etc. If your company can prove it took "reasonable measures" to keep an element secret, then there is a legal remedy should an employee misappropriate that information. An IP & Confidentiality Agreement serves as an effective way to prove "reasonable measures" and to protect your competitive position. Don't skip it.

The goal: Protect the IP and confidential information of the company.

How can Golden Section Assist? Golden Section's venture partner can assist here.

Steps

  1. Define your IP and confidential information.
  2. Work with your legal counsel to finalize IP and confidentiality agreements.
  3. Codification. Store your signed IP and confidentiality agreements in a cloud-based central backup location for easy reference.
Mistakes this play prevents: #22

Questions this play answers

How do I protect my company's intellectual property?

A trade secret gives your company a competitive advantage as long as it remains a secret. Trade secrets include source code, customer lists, business and strategy plans, and employee lists, etc. If your company can prove it took "reasonable measures" to keep an element secret, then there is a legal remedy should an employee misappropriate that information.

What counts as a trade secret?

A trade secret gives your company a competitive advantage as long as it remains a secret. Trade secrets include source code, customer lists, business and strategy plans, and employee lists, etc. If your company can prove it took "reasonable measures" to keep an element secret, then there is a legal remedy should an employee misappropriate that information.

Why do I need an IP & Confidentiality Agreement?

A trade secret gives your company a competitive advantage as long as it remains a secret. Trade secrets include source code, customer lists, business and strategy plans, and employee lists, etc. If your company can prove it took "reasonable measures" to keep an element secret, then there is a legal remedy should an employee misappropriate that information.

How should I store signed IP and confidentiality agreements?

Codification. Store your signed IP and confidentiality agreements in a cloud-based central backup location for easy reference.