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Pivoting Startup IP Strategy as Venture Capital Concentrates

Timothy Snowden, CPP CLP

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According to recent PitchBook data, just 12 U.S. venture firms raised over 50% of all venture capital in the first half of 2025, with Founders Fund alone securing $4.6 billion—more than double the total raised by all 44 first-time fund managers combined. This continued consolidation of capital among elite firms underscores a growing preference for startups with scale-ready, high-impact potential.

For technology entrepreneurs, this trend reinforces the importance of building a high-quality, defensible patent portfolio early. The largest venture firms are likely to increasingly target startups with IP that protects core innovations, supports long-term market advantage, and aligns with their strategic investment theses in frontier technologies. Regardless of whether you intend to take VC funding, these landscape shifts may have an impact on your company. To position for this environment, startups should consider: (1) prioritizing high-value, defensible patents; (2) aligning IP assets with investor focus areas; (3) leveraging IP as a key asset in fundraising; (4) building your IP portfolio early to establish credibility; (5) structure IP for licensing or acquisition opportunities; and (6) considering alternative capital strategies that maximize IP value while preserving equity.

To plan a patent strategy for building high-quality, defensible patent portfolio that align with your ultimate business goals, contact Timothy Snowden at Definitive Patents, a member firm of Synchrony IP.

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Author

  • Timothy D. Snowden is a Certified Patent Practitioner and Certified Licensing Professional with over a decade of experience guiding innovators in building and monetizing high-value patent portfolios. As Founder and Principal of Definitive Patents and a Founding Member of Synchrony IP, he has successfully led patent prosecution and portfolio development for startups, family businesses, and publicly traded companies across industries including medical devices, agriculture, software, and advanced engineering. A magna cum laude graduate of Texas A&M University in Biomedical Engineering, Snowden combines technical expertise with strategic business insight to help entrepreneurs secure patents tightly aligned with commercial goals. He has served as Patent Prosecution Chair at a boutique firm, earned commendation from the Patent Trials and Appeal Board, and continues to shape the profession as a Director with the National Council on Patent Practicum. His mission is to empower innovators worldwide with creative patent strategies that transform inventions into marketable assets.
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Timothy Snowden, CPP CLP

Timothy D. Snowden is a Certified Patent Practitioner and Certified Licensing Professional with over a decade of experience guiding innovators in building and monetizing high-value patent portfolios. As Founder and Principal of Definitive Patents and a Founding Member of Synchrony IP, he has successfully led patent prosecution and portfolio development for startups, family businesses, and publicly traded companies across industries including medical devices, agriculture, software, and advanced engineering. A magna cum laude graduate of Texas A&M University in Biomedical Engineering, Snowden combines technical expertise with strategic business insight to help entrepreneurs secure patents tightly aligned with commercial goals. He has served as Patent Prosecution Chair at a boutique firm, earned commendation from the Patent Trials and Appeal Board, and continues to shape the profession as a Director with the National Council on Patent Practicum. His mission is to empower innovators worldwide with creative patent strategies that transform inventions into marketable assets.

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