How do I protect my IP: assignments, trademarks, and patents on a budget?

First make sure the company, not you or your contractors, owns everything: signed IP assignment agreements are the first thing investors check, and pre-incorporation work legally belongs to the individual until assigned. Trademarks are cheap insurance; run an AI-assisted clearance search before you fall in love with a name. Patents are slow and expensive, so most software startups should file provisionals selectively and spend the savings on shipping.

A quick orientation. The real value is below: resources worth your time, from people who've actually done it.