What is a patent, in founder terms
A patent is a time limited right to stop others from making, using or selling your invention. Here is what that means in practice.
The deal
You disclose how the invention works in public; in exchange the government gives you the right to exclude others from it for 20 years from the filing date. It is a right to exclude, not a right to use.
What can be patented
A process, machine, article of manufacture or composition of matter that is new, useful and not obvious. Software and AI inventions qualify when the claims describe a specific technical improvement, not an abstract idea. That is the Section 101 line, and drafting decides which side you land on.
What cannot
Abstract ideas, laws of nature, natural phenomena. A business method dressed as software. Something already public, including your own launch more than a year ago in the US.
Why a startup wants one
Leverage in a competitive market, a stronger diligence story at fundraising or acquisition, a licensable asset, and a defensive position if a larger company comes after you.
What it is not
A trademark protects a name or logo. A copyright protects code as written, not the idea behind it. A trade secret protects what you keep secret. Patents protect the functional invention.