Advisory & Mentorship
Guiding startups and investors to maximize the value of intellectual property, secure funding, and scale rapidly.
As a mentor and advisor,
I help startups, angel investors, and venture capitalists navigate the complexities of intellectual property and technology commercialization.
With nearly 500 patents to my name, I bring deep expertise in leveraging IP to maximize funding success, accelerate growth, and create long-term value.
Whether you're an innovator looking to protect your ideas or an investor seeking smarter, more lucrative opportunities, my advisory services will help you make informed, impactful decisions.
How I think about innovation and entrepreneurship
These two articles give some insights into how my personal journey as an innovator and entrepreneur shaped my approach to advisory and mentorship.
The long road from patent to product.
Resilience, Collaboration Trust
For Angel Investors & VCs
Expert advice on the validity of a startup's intellectual property (IP)
Why Expert Advice is Crucial for Successful Investments
Expert advice on the validity of a startup’s intellectual property (IP) is crucial for investors because it mitigates risks and ensures informed decision-making. IP is often a startup’s most valuable asset, serving as a cornerstone of innovation, competitive advantage, and long-term growth. However, evaluating the strength and potential of IP requires specialized knowledge. Investors must assess the enforceability of patents, trademarks, and copyrights, as well as the startup’s ability to protect its assets from infringement or legal disputes. Without expert guidance, they risk overestimating the value of weak or misaligned IP portfolios, which can lead to costly surprises or diminished returns.
Additionally, IP valuation is inherently complex due to uncertainties in forecasting future earnings and market adoption, particularly for early-stage startups. Expert advice ensures that investors understand whether the startup’s IP creates a defensible “moat” against competitors and aligns with its business strategy. Given the rapid pace of technological change and varying global IP laws, professional insights are essential to validate the strategic importance of the startup’s IP in driving funding success, growth, and long-term viability.
Why you should care
For angel investors, startups with high-quality patents and trademarks (HQPA) dramatically improve funding outcomes. Patent-holding startups are 2.9 times more likely to secure initial funding, while those with both patents and trademarks are 10.2 times more likely to attract seed or early-stage investment. Additionally, angel-stage startups with patents see an average valuation 93% higher than those without IP protections, making them far more attractive investment opportunities.
For VCs, strong protected IP creates substantial long-term value and exit potential. The approval of a startup’s first patent application is associated with a 36 percentage-point increase in employment growth and a 51 percentage-point increase in sales over the next five years. Furthermore, patent ownership more than doubles the likelihood of a startup going public and increases the chances of success within 10 years by 2.5 times. These metrics underscore how IP not only signals innovation but also provides tangible legal and competitive advantages that drive growth, market positioning, and investor returns. By prioritizing expert advice on IP validity, investors can mitigate risks, maximize returns, and ensure they back startups with strong foundations for success.
How I can help you
With extensive experience in writing hundreds of patents, with strong claims, and successfully negotiating license agreements, I possess a keen ability to quickly and thoroughly evaluate the strengths of patents and innovations. This expertise enables me to guide angel investors and venture capitalists in making informed, strategic investment decisions.
As an entrepreneur myself, I've honed the skills needed to assess teams and their ability to transform ideas into successful, scalable businesses. I work closely with angel investors and VCs through various collaboration models, ensuring tailored support to meet their unique needs.
Reach out today to learn how we can work together to make smarter investment decisions and drive innovation forward.
For Startups&Innovators
This is why you should protect IP from early on.
I often hear startups and engineers say, "Writing a patent is a hassle, registering it is too expensive in the early stages, and there's no way I’ll be able to defend it against large corporations or in international markets." While some of that might have a grain of truth, the reality is that patenting your innovation is a critical step for securing early-stage funding and setting the stage for future growth. And here's the thing—once you dive in, you might actually find that writing a patent can be surprisingly enjoyable. Yes, you read that right.
It can be fun—and I am serious!
Funding Success
Patented startups are far more likely to secure investment. Data shows that patent-holding startups are 2.9 times more likely to obtain initial funding and 6.4 times more likely to secure investment in formal funding rounds. Moreover, startups with both patents and trademarks are 10.2 times more likely to successfully secure funding during their early growth stages. This is because patents signal innovation and a competitive edge, making startups more attractive to investors.
Growth and Performance
Ownership of patents correlates with stronger growth and performance metrics. For instance, the approval of a startup’s first patent application is associated with a 36 percentage-point increase in employment growth and a 51 percentage-point increase in sales over the next five years. Additionally, patented startups tend to generate more patents and citations, boosting their credibility and potential for further success. Patent ownership also significantly increases the likelihood of a startup going public.
Long-term Success
Patent ownership can greatly improve a startup’s long-term viability. Startups with patents before securing venture capital investments are 2.5 times more likely to meet success within 10 years. Studies suggest that patent-holding startups have up to 3.6 times higher chances of success across all sectors.
Valuation Boost
Patents also enhance the startup’s valuation in funding rounds. Angel-stage startups with patents have an average valuation 93% higher than those without IP, and late-stage startups with patents see valuations 51% higher. This valuation increase is due to reduced investor risk, a demonstrated competitive advantage, and a stronger market position. Furthermore, startups with patents are able to raise more capital, with early-stage startups earning 73% more on average than their non-patented counterparts.
I only work with exceptional founders and carefully selected startups in the automotive, AI and blockchain space, where I feel I can really add value.
Mentoring takes a lot of time and energy, so I’m pretty selective about the founders I work with.