How smart startups use IP strategy to scale with confidence

Every ambitious founder wants their startup to move fast. But building great products alone isn’t enough – you have to secure your competitive advantage to win over investors and open doors to new markets.

Founders who take their intangible assets (IA) and intellectual property (IP) seriously send a clear signal: Their business isn’t just built fast; it’s also built to last.

Just ask Tan Jian Ming, co-founder of Moon Technologies, a startup that develops AR glasses for visual assessment in medical scenarios. Given the industry’s sensitivity and its constant need for reliable solutions, he always gets asked by investors and potential partners whether his startup owns the rights to its tech – either through ownership or exclusive licensing.

(From left) Fu Zhikang, director and senior IP strategist at IPOS International, Nicole Poon, chief HR officer at MatchMove, Remi Choong, principal at Elev8.vc, and Tan Jian Ming, co-founder of Moon Technologies. / Photo credit: IPOS International

“Having IP protection is an incredible credibility driver,” he said.

Tan shared this during a panel session at GITEX Asia, a tech convention held in Singapore from April 9 to 10. He was joined by Nicole Poon, chief HR officer at embedded finance platform MatchMove; Remi Choong, principal at VC firm Elev8.vc; and moderator Fu Zhikang, director and senior IP strategist at IPOS International, a subsidiary of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS).

Together, the panel discussed how a well-developed IP strategy can help startups beyond legal protection. They emphasized that when used strategically, IP can help firms boost investor confidence, speed up market access, and create real value for startups.

Fueling the credibility engine

At its core, a solid IP strategy begins with safeguarding one’s innovation, laying the groundwork for future business moves.

Poon likened this to getting insurance. Early on, she secured a trademark for one of MatchMove’s products – a move that paid off when a local telco used a similar term. Because the firm had locked in the necessary rights, it was well-positioned to defend itself.

She turned to IPOS to handle the situation and secured a settlement with the telco. The process demonstrated how a proactive IP strategy could help startups level the playing field.

“Knowing how to defend your IP rights is the ultimate shield, allowing you to face challenges head-on,” Poon said.

Poon shares how she and her company stood their ground. / Photo credit: IPOS International

Only with such protections can founders effectively leverage their IA and IP to further grow their company.

Tan then shared how Moon Technologies’ solution works for hospitals and big government agencies – clients that could be difficult to get on board because of bureaucracy.

He said having the right IP management strategy that demonstrated its value during negotiations helped the company score its first big contract.

“This was our first lighthouse customer, one of the most important steps for any startup,” Tan recalled. “It set the tone for everything afterward.”

For MatchMove, its 2017 patent from IPOS for its hybrid cloud architecture proved instrumental in demonstrating the firm’s strategic foresight and commitment to the fintech landscape.

Having IP protection is an incredible credibility driver.

While many operate with a short-term outlook, this patent solidified the company’s position as a serious, long-term player in its field, Poon shared.

“The patent itself, coupled with our deliberate IP strategy, was crucial for establishing credibility,” she noted. “It wasn’t merely about possessing a patent; it was about communicating our deep-seated commitment to safeguarding our innovations and, by extension, building a foundational level of trust essential in handling people’s money.”

Incentivizing collaboration

Beyond protecting business activities, a thoughtful IP strategy can also help partners and employees feel their contributions are valued. This reinforces a culture of trust, as well as shared ownership and growth, thereby encouraging these collaborators to stay invested.

Much of Moon Technologies’ solution was co-developed with physician researchers. Tan said having an IP management strategy signalled to doctors and researchers that the startup valued their contributions and took them seriously.

“It made them feel more connected to the product and want to work with us more closely,” he explained.

This sense of ownership applies internally, too. Poon shared that at MatchMove, team members who co-create products or contribute to patent filings are given employee stock options and listed as co-writers for the patent.

“It encourages efforts to protect and grow with the company,” she said.

In closing, Elev8.vc’s Choong pointed out that each firm’s IP strategy is unique and has to make sense within its budget, especially for cash-strapped startups.

Choong shares a VC’s perspective. / Photo credit: IPOS International

“You have to be deliberate about what you really want to protect,” he said. “As a startup, there’s no way you’re spending millions of dollars to secure IP protection for every single thing.”

Choong also suggested “layering IPs” – protecting certain processes or products through trade secrets while securing others through patents. This approach helps startups zero in on what to protect based on strategic value while keeping IP-related costs manageable.

“It’s a game of prioritization,” he added.

Get in early

When it comes to IP, getting started early beats waiting for the perfect moment.

“Choosing to build fast without considering your IP may mean that you lose fast too,” says Fu Zhikang, director of IP strategy solutions at IPOS International. “Companies might not be able to defend their differentiators and also miss opportunities for growth, market access, and better long-term valuations.”

The strategy solutions team works closely with accelerators and incubators to help startups learn about business-centric IP management.

This was the central theme of the second IPOS International panel at GITEX, which zoomed in on how startups can unlock commercial value through smart IP strategies.

The session featured Ooi Yeong Boon, managing director of IP consultancy Exy Intellectual Property; Daniel Low, director of professional services firm RSM Singapore; and Jonathan Agmon, founder and director at law firm Agmon Law.

Dixon Soh, president of the IPOS Society, a networking platform for IP professionals, and director at law firm CHP Law, moderated the session.

(From left) Dixon Soh, president of the IPOS Society, Jonathan Agmon, founder and director at Agmon Law, Daniel Low, director of RSM Singapore, and Ooi Yeong Boon, managing director of Exy Intellectual Property. / Photo credit: IPOS International

During the discussion, Ooi brought up one of his clients, which manufactures seats for commercial vehicles.

“On an airplane, bus, ship – any commercial vehicle – you’ve got to be fuel efficient, so this manufacturer had to reduce the weight of the seats while remaining safe,” he explained. “Its R&D process and the materials it developed to achieve this goal was something that should have been protected.”

However, the company didn’t file its IP at all. In 2021, it received a cease and desist letter from a German firm producing similar seats.

According to Ooi, the company is now entangled in disputes with manufacturers in Hong Kong as well.

“My advice? Start your IP management at the beginning, not when you’re making millions of dollars, because that’s when people will start copying – or suing – you,” he said

Some founders understand the importance of getting in early. But Agmon pointed out that many have to juggle other priorities like refining their go-to-market strategy or simply keeping the company alive.

Agmon (right), shared his years of experience in IP law. / Photo credit: IPOS International

Still, taking action promptly isn’t just about avoiding lawsuits or copycats – it’s also about laying the groundwork for sustainable business growth. Securing a patent or trademark early in your target market gives you the freedom to expand when the time is right.

“You’ve got to balance the money you’ve got, protecting what you have, survival, and pushing the business forward,” said Ooi.

Putting a number to it

One of the most important but often-overlooked discussions is around how to value a company’s intangible assets.

According to RSM’s Low, many founders may not fully grasp their actual value because these things don’t really show up on balance sheets. By the time expansion plans are firmed up or M&A talks begin, it might be too late to conduct a timely, formal valuation.

On the flipside, he noted that some founders swing the other way, overestimating how much their IA and IP are worth.

In such cases, professional valuers like himself rely on industry benchmarks to determine a realistic figure, comparing companies within similar sectors.

Low closed the panel with a piece of advice to help founders better convey the value of what they’ve built through their IA and IP, and why their startup deserves to scale.

“You must be able to come up with the story of your product,” he said. “You must be able to articulate the fundamental driver of your business’ value to the investors and show them what makes the product so good or different.”

IPOS International is a subsidiary of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore. It helps enterprises manage their IA and IP effectively for transformation and growth. Interested in how it can support your IP and business needs? Book a complimentary chat here.

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This content was produced by Tech in Asia Studios, which connects brands with Asia’s tech community. Learn more about partnering with Tech in Asia Studios.