Trademark or Patent? The Effects of Market Concentration, Customer Type, and Venture Capital Financing on Start-ups’ Initial IP Applications

Industry and Innovation, Forthcoming

34 Pages Posted: 1 Sep 2016

See all articles by Geertjan de Vries

Geertjan de Vries

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Erasmus School of Economics (ESE); Tinbergen Institute

Enrico Pennings

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Erasmus School of Economics (ESE); Tinbergen Institute; Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM)

Jorn H. Block

University of Trier - Faculty of Management; Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Institute of Management (ERIM)

Christian Fisch

University of Luxembourg - Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT)

Date Written: August 29, 2016

Abstract

We analyze the initial IP applications of 4,703 start-ups in the US, distinguishing between trademark and patent applications. Our empirical results show that start-ups are more likely to file for trademarks instead of patents when entering markets with a higher market concentration. Furthermore, we find that start-ups that are primarily active in business-to-consumer markets instead of business-to-business markets are more likely to file trademarks. Finally, the involvement of a venture capitalist (VC) affects the initial IP application. VC-backed start-ups are more likely than other start-ups to file initial IP in the form of trademarks rather than patents. This paper contributes to research on the use of IP rights in start-ups and to the literature on new venture strategy.

Keywords: Intellectual property; market concentration; venture capital; trademarks; patents

JEL Classification: O34, L10, G24

Suggested Citation

de Vries, Geertjan and Pennings, Enrico and Block, Jorn Hendrich and Fisch, Christian, Trademark or Patent? The Effects of Market Concentration, Customer Type, and Venture Capital Financing on Start-ups’ Initial IP Applications (August 29, 2016). Industry and Innovation, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2760862

Geertjan De Vries

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) ( email )

P.O. Box 1738
3000 DR Rotterdam, NL 3062 PA
Netherlands

Tinbergen Institute ( email )

P.O. Box 1738
3000 DR Rotterdam
Netherlands

Enrico Pennings

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) ( email )

P.O. Box 1738
3000 DR Rotterdam, NL 3062 PA
Netherlands

Tinbergen Institute ( email )

Burg. Oudlaan 50
Rotterdam, 3062 PA
Netherlands

Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM) ( email )

P.O. Box 1738
3000 DR Rotterdam
Netherlands

Jorn Hendrich Block (Contact Author)

University of Trier - Faculty of Management ( email )

D-54296
Germany

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Institute of Management (ERIM) ( email )

Burgemeester Oudlaan 50
3000 DR Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland 3062PA
Netherlands

Christian Fisch

University of Luxembourg - Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT) ( email )

JFK Building
29, Avenue J.F Kennedy
Luxembourg, L-1885
Luxembourg

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