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Patents are often filed early, before a startup knows what the market really wants. That’s smart, but it comes with a challenge: Not every idea turns out to be worth protecting.
Markets shift. Products pivot. And eventually, founders ask: Should we keep paying for this patent or cut our losses?
It’s a tough call. Abandoning a patent midway can feel like giving up. But continuing just because you’ve already spent money? That’s the sunk cost trap, and it quietly drains your budget.
Many startups keep prosecuting every idea, paying rejections, annuities and attorney fees. But a smart IP strategy means knowing what