Patent
A legal right granting an inventor exclusive use of an invention for a set period (usually 20 years) in exchange for publicly disclosing how it works. Covers novel, useful, non-obvious inventions.
Why it matters
Patents can protect a genuine technical edge and add defensible value, especially in deep tech, hardware, and biotech. But they are slow and costly, and for most software startups speed and execution matter far more than a patent.
For example
A biotech startup patents its novel drug-delivery method, creating a defensible edge, while a typical SaaS startup skips patents and competes on execution.
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