Re:There’s no such thing as “a startup within a big company”
by ryandrake on Thursday February 18, 2021 @11:41AM
(#26182040)
I’d you are going to start something on the side, carefully read your current employment agreement, particularly the part about IP assignment. Most Silicon Valley companies I’ve worked with, including FAANGs, claim ownership of everything you produce, inside or outside of employment, at home or in office, using their equipment or yours. You don’t want to lick into a unicorn idea and have your former employer’s lawyers send you that letter...
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Re:There’s no such thing as “a startup within a big company”
by philipswood on Saturday February 20, 2021 @12:37AM
(#26201908)
Unusual data point (I'm not sure if South African practice is applicable elsewhere) , but most bigger corps I've worked at have provided a mechanism to declare external interests, pending management approval, to work around these global clauses.
On paper any IP would be default belong to the Corp, but after some discussion/negotiations with your line manager and his higher-ups, you could do the paper work to declare.
Re:There’s no such thing as “a startup within a big company”
by moneywoes on Thursday February 18, 2021 @12:08PM
(#26182463)
Are these actually enforceable?
Re:There’s no such thing as “a startup within a big company”
by ryandrake on Thursday February 18, 2021 @12:19PM
(#26182605)
It probably doesn’t matter in practice. They will have more lawyers and more money to burn on legal process than you. Who will go bankrupt first fighting a legal battle between you and, say, Apple?
Re:There’s no such thing as “a startup within a big company”
by dv_dt on Thursday February 18, 2021 @04:01PM
(#26185452)
In practice, I don't think I've ever seen a SV example of that kind of litigation from garage development of IP. Maybe I've just missed them?
Theft of IP from one company to a new company on the other hand there are multiple public examples of.
Re:There’s no such thing as “a startup within a big company”
by ptudan on Thursday February 18, 2021 @12:59PM
(#26183189)
The only time they'd actually sue is if you made something worth money. in that case, there's a good chance you can get investors to pay the lawsuit.
Re:There’s no such thing as “a startup within a big company”
by triceratops on Thursday February 18, 2021 @03:05PM
(#26184720)
Investors would check if you were subject to an IP assignment clause in your employment contract prior to investing. It's part of basic due diligence. They would then most likely pass on the investment.
Re:There’s no such thing as “a startup within a big company”
by lotsofpulp on Thursday February 18, 2021 @01:00PM
(#26183209)
It does matter in practice in California.
Re:There’s no such thing as “a startup within a big company”
by Mauricebranagh on Thursday February 18, 2021 @12:39PM
(#26182905)
If its "related" to your employers business yes - unless you agree a variation of the contract.