Intellectual Property Rights in Tech Partnerships, and the Legal Reality for Startup Founders
In tech partnerships, intellectual property ownership does not automatically follow payment or ideas. By default, copyright belongs to the person who writes the source code unless it is expressly assigned by contract. This exercise explains how IP rights arise in app development, the legal distinctions among employees, contractors, and co-founders, the risks of licensing rather than ownership, and why clear IP assignments are essential for investment, scaling, and exit.
