What is “intellectual property” (IP)?
Intellectual property (IP) is the legal category for intangible creations of the mind — inventions, designs, brands, expressive works, trade secrets — protected by law against unauthorised use. The four main categories are patents (inventions), copyrights (expressive works), trademarks (brand identifiers) and trade secrets (confidential business information). For startups, IP is often the primary asset, particularly in deep-tech, biotech, content, and software.
The four IP categories
- Patents: protect novel, non-obvious inventions. 20-year exclusivity from filing. Filed with national patent offices (USPTO, Türk Patent ve Marka Kurumu).
- Copyrights: protect expressive works (software, content, art). Automatic on creation; registration enhances protection.
- Trademarks: protect brand identifiers (names, logos, slogans). Filed with trademark offices; renewable indefinitely.
- Trade secrets: protect confidential business information that derives value from secrecy. No registration; protected by NDAs and reasonable safeguards.
Startup IP best practices
- IP assignment from day one: all founders and employees assign work-product IP to the company in writing.
- Trademark registration: register company name and core product names in primary markets early.
- Patent strategy: file provisional patents on key innovations; balance protection cost against disclosure risk.
- Trade-secret protocols: NDAs with employees, vendors, and partners; access controls on sensitive information.
- Open-source compliance: track open-source dependencies and license obligations.
Türkiye’de IP korunması
Türkiye’de IP koruması 6769 sayılı Sınai Mülkiyet Kanunu (patentler, markalar, tasarımlar) ve 5846 sayılı Fikir ve Sanat Eserleri Kanunu (FSEK — telif) kapsamındadır. Türk Patent ve Marka Kurumu (TPMK) başvuruları işler. AB-Türkiye Gümrük Birliği kapsamında AB’ye giriş için EUIPO başvurusu da önemlidir. Madrid Protokolü altında uluslararası marka başvurusu yapılabilir.
Do: establish IP assignment in writing from day one; consult IP counsel before any significant public disclosure of patentable inventions.
Don’t: assume “we own it because we built it” — without written assignment, employee or contractor IP can be contested.