We talk so often of ‘protecting’ IP, it feels like the goal. But what if we treat IP like every other aspect of business – as a lever for growth?
Mindset matters because it changes your objectives.
Protection is hiding things under the mattress. Suspicion abounds. Defensive instincts drive irrational decisions.
But playing defense doesn’t help you scale. Success requires swinging for the fences, seizing opportunities others have overlooked.
That’s why an IP growth mindset feels more intuitive for entrepreneurs. You’re looking to land customers, raise funding, find partners, and attract acquisition interest. Why shouldn’t your IP help with that?
Especially in AI, where your IP is foundational: your ideas, use cases, code, models, and data. Hiding these under the mattress won’t drive success.
So what will? Start by incorporating IP thinking into everyday business planning. Recognize what IP you have, then take proactive steps to leverage it toward your business goals – connecting it directly to your value proposition, your valuation, and your ability to attract capital, partners, and acquirers.
Concretely, what does that actually look like?
Open source:
Most see it as a gift to the ecosystem – they couldn’t be more wrong. Codebases remain copyrighted; use is free but licensed. Instead of being hidden, open-sourcing code or model weights drive business outcomes: platform uptake, adjacent offerings, ecosystem effects.
This isn’t for everyone, but it is IP in action, leveraging it to grow the business.
Patents:
Instead of fixating on theft prevention, the growth mindset understands they can amplify your business strategy.
But not just any patent will do that. Patents are mostly words, and your goals affect word choice. Hiding under the mattress will be reflected in your patent.
The right patent can attract: customers seeking unique solutions, investors seeking growth levers, partners seeking the right collaboration, acquirers seeking an edge.
A patent aligned with your value proposition has the ability to amplify.
Secrets:
Safeguarding secrets seems like quintessential protection. But growth requires engaging with clients and investors – hard to do with your mouth zippered shut.
The only way to safeguard secrets in those conversations is to carefully identify what shouldn’t be shared, then develop smart ways to navigate around it.
With the right preparation, you can actually speak more convincingly about your business.
Reframing the question
If you’re in growth mode, the question isn’t “how can I protect my IP?”
If you’re looking to scale, strengthen your market position, and create real value, then the real question is: “how can my IP help?“
That’s the growth mindset your business deserves.