Worried someone might steal your startup idea?
In episode 3 of the TxO Startup Hotline, Kofi Ampadu, partner and head of Talent x Opportunity at Andreessen Horowitz is joined by Allison Cooper, partner of the startup and venture practice at Fenwick, to answer this founder’s question:
“If I have a shared business idea with a friend, but they don’t want to pursue it, could they still take credit or ownership later on?”
Kofi and Allison break down what early-stage founders should know about protecting their intellectual property, including:
What counts as Intellectual Property (IP)
Why early written agreements matter – even casual ones
What to do if your idea was shared or co-created
Simple steps to establish IP ownership from day one
Want your question answered in the series? Call 1-844-DIAL-TXO and leave us a message.
Learn more about Fenway’s Intellectual Property services here: https://www.fenwick.com/services/practices/intellectual-property
Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro to Episode 3 of the TxO Startup Hotline Series
0:41 - Can my friend steal my startup idea?
1:14 - Intellectual Property explained
2:10 - How to document ownership early
2:35 - What if someone's role at the company evolves?
2:59 - What to do if you don’t have connections to lawyers
3:20 - Final notes
The Talent x Opportunity initiative at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z TxO) supports founders building cultural innovations through funding, training and ongoing mentorship. Learn more about a16z TxO and stay updated:
https://a16z.com/txo
https://x.com/a16ztxo
https://www.instagram.com/a16ztxo/
https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/a16z-txo
The content here is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. Please note that a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed in this product. For more details, including a link to our investments, please see a16z.com/disclosures
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