Article · medium read

We Built the Product But Don't Own It: How Founders Lose IP

Solv Legal Free Intermediate

If you do go the agency or freelancer route, this is the practical checklist for not getting burned: put the repo in your own organization, keep cloud accounts in your company's name, and get a written IP assignment. Founders routinely discover during due diligence that they never actually owned their own product. Read it before you sign, not after your builder goes quiet.

  • Own the GitHub org and cloud accounts yourself from day one
  • Get an explicit written IP assignment, not just work for hire
  • Ownership gaps surface painfully during investor due diligence
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The question it answers

  1. Should I hire an agency or a freelancer to build my MVP?

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