* FreePatentsForStartups.com: Clocktower Announces Free Provisional Patent Applications For Accelerated Startups

Promo applies to recent alum of startup accelerators ranked Platinum Plus, Platinum, or Gold by seedrankings.com. If there is attorney-startup fit.

BOSTON, MA – March 19, 2020. Clocktower today – on the first week of its 20th year – announces that it is offering free[1] provisional patent applications to startup companies that have graduated from one of the nation’s top startup accelerators[2] in the last 17 months. This promotion is subject to various terms and conditions, which are summarized in the “notes” section below.

“Clocktower has been representing startups since 2001, and given the state of the economy, we felt that it was time to do what we could to help,” said Erik Heels, Clocktower founder.

Clocktower primarily represents startups and has a history of helping them succeed.[3] In addition, Clocktower has a long history of pro bono intellectual property service, nonprofit intellectual property service, and promotional services during difficult times.

For example, in 2008 during the Great Recession, Clocktower offered free trademarks for startups. And in early 2017, Clocktower offered a 50% discount to certain marginalized groups.

The economy is cyclic, and recessions are inevitable, but Clocktower certainly did not anticipate that a virus would be the cause of the current downturn. Startups are the backbone of our economy, long ago having replaced large companies’ R&D departments as the hub of the innovation economy. Helping startups is the best way that Clocktower can help the economy.

“Startup founders are familiar with the concept of product-market fit,” said Heels. “Similarly, Clocktower seeks attorney-startup fit. We are not the right IP law firm for every startup, but we are a good choice for many.”

To apply for this program, startup founders should contact Clocktower via its contact form (https://www.clocktowerlaw.com/contact), indicate which accelerator their startup is an alum of, and then we will schedule a (no cost) initial call.

Notes

1. The startup would have to (a) pay all third-party costs, such as USPTO filing fees and (b) agree to hire Clocktower at its then-current rates to file any/all other patents claiming priority to the provisional patent application.

2. As ranked by the Seed Accelerator Rankings Project (SARP) (http://seedrankings.com/), which currently includes the following startup accelerators: 500 Startups, Alchemist, Amplify LA, Angelpad, Chicago New Venture Challenge, Dreamit, gener8tor, HAX, IndieBio, MassChallenge, MuckerLab, SkyDeck, StartX, Techstars, and Y Combinator. Erik Heels mentors, pro bono, for both Techstars and MassChallenge but otherwise has no connection to any other company mentioned in this post. The inclusion of any company in this post does not imply endorsement or sponsorship by that company.

3. Clocktower clients have had 23 exits (IPO or acquisition by a public company) since 2001. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

4. Clocktower reserves the right to terminate this promotion at any time and to screen all applicants for attorney-startup fit. Any/all updates will be posted as comments to this post.

5. The terms of our fine print page also apply.

6. Finally, this is a post announcing a promotion that may result in an agreement between Clocktower and a startup. This post is not an agreement. The agreement is the agreement (which we will send to qualifying startups separately), the terms of which you should review carefully.

About Clocktower Law

Clocktower is a Boston-area patent/trademark law firm founded by Erik Heels in 2001. Clocktower helps companies protect their ideas (with patents and trade secrets) and brands (with trademarks, domain names, and usernames) from the competition. Clocktower’s patent and trademark lawyers have worked as non-lawyers for software and Internet startups, so we understand how intellectual property (IP) works in the real world. As such, Clocktower has helped many entrepreneurs have successful exits (getting acquired, going public). We do not, however, represent patent trolls, trademark bullies, or cybersquatters. So we’re not the right firm for everyone. But we’re a good choice for many.

About Erik J. Heels

Erik J. Heels is an entrepreneur, veteran, and the founder of Clocktower Law LLC (Clocktower), a patent and trademark law firm in Greater Boston that caters to startups. He earned his BS in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and his JD from the University of Maine School of Law (Maine Law).