We're selective.
Here's exactly
what gets a yes.
We co-invest $50K–$200K at pre-seed, seed, and Series A - never as the lead. Not every company needs IP-led capital alongside their lead firm. This page tells you plainly what qualifies so you can decide if it's worth a call before either of us burns time.
Novel, patentable core technology
RequiredThe single most important criterion. Your product must contain something genuinely new - a process, method, system, or apparatus that has not been previously described in public prior art. UI improvements, workflow reorganizations, and better product design are valuable but generally not patentable on their own.
We look for technical innovations: novel algorithms, new hardware architectures, original chemical processes, unique data structures, or genuinely new methods of achieving a technical result.
The test we apply: If a skilled engineer in your field read a complete description of your invention, would they say “I've never seen it done this way”? If yes, we want to talk.
Top-tier lead investor already committed
Required for capital co-investmentWe co-invest alongside institutional leads - we do not lead rounds. Your round should have a committed lead from a recognized seed fund or accelerator. This includes Y Combinator, a16z, Sequoia, Benchmark, Greylock, Lightspeed, General Catalyst, Founders Fund, Techstars, and comparable institutions.
Note on services: Patent filing and trademark services are available to any company, regardless of lead investor status. The top-tier lead requirement applies only to capital co-investment.
Bay Area presence
Required for capital co-investmentFor co-investment capital, we require Bay Area incorporation or a team physically present in the Bay Area. This is a structural requirement of our current fund. Some of the best startups are built outside Silicon Valley - but for capital investment, Bay Area presence is a firm requirement today.
Exception: Patent and trademark services are available globally - geography is no barrier for companies seeking IP counsel without capital co-investment.
High copycat risk in your market
Strongly preferredOur model is most valuable in markets where technical replication is cheap. The best candidates for PatentVC are building in software, AI, developer tools, hardware with software interfaces, and biotech - spaces where a well-funded competitor could reasonably build a functional copy within weeks or months.
Founder committed to IP as strategy
RequiredWe only work with founders who understand that defensibility is a strategic choice, not an administrative task. You don't need to be a patent expert - that's our job. But you need to believe that protecting what you've invented matters.
Red flag:Founders who say “we'll think about patents after our A round” are typically too late. Waiting is an active choice to narrow your protection - and one of the most common mistakes we see.
Six arenas, one through-line.
Our investments concentrate where patent protection converts directly to enterprise value - all six sectors being reshaped, right now, by applied AI.
Legal Tech
Defense Tech
Health Tech
Energy Tech
Space Tech
Public Safety & Civic
The through-line: applied AI meeting a regulated or mission-critical surface. See full thesis →
We'll tell you
honestlyif it's not a fit.
These aren't criticisms - they're structural realities. Many great companies fall outside our model. We'd rather tell you upfront.
No novel technology
If the core product is a new UI on existing infrastructure, there's typically little to patent. We can still help with trademarks, but capital co-investment won't be the right fit.
No lead investor
We are not equipped to lead rounds or perform primary diligence. Come back after the round is anchored with a recognized institutional lead.
Outside the Bay Area
For capital, we require Bay Area presence. This will evolve, but it's a firm requirement today. Services remain available globally.
Series B and beyond
Our model works best at pre-seed, seed, and Series A, when claims are broadest and IP strategy can be built from scratch. Later-stage companies should speak with a traditional patent firm.
Regulatory moat only
Companies whose primary barrier is regulatory approval often don't benefit significantly from patent strategy at seed stage. Not a fit for capital, though services may apply.
IP as afterthought
If you're approaching this as a Series A checkbox, we're not the right partner. Our model requires a founder who sees IP as a strategic priority - because it is one.
Application to close
in 30 days.
Submit application
Brief form covering your technology, lead investor, and what you've built. No deck required upfront.
Day 1IP screening call
30-minute call with our patent team to assess the technical innovation and patentability of your core product.
Days 3–7Investment review
We review round terms, lead investor, and stage. Decision within one week of the screening call.
Days 7–14Term sheet & close
We move on standard SAFE or priced-round terms. IP strategy kickoff begins immediately on close.
Days 14–30