The world is increasingly interconnected and ideas are accessible at the blink of an eye, which also means your ideas are more vulnerable to theft than ever before. We’re not yet talking “Minority Report” or any pervasive thought policing, but we are talking about intellectual property and the ease of taking it when it’s not correctly protected.

Your ideas are considered your intellectual property, a term used to define any creative capital owned by a business or an individual. Music, artwork, photography, and more are all forms of intellectual property that need to be protected. For businesses, intellectual property also includes logos and artwork, names, slogans, and unique text that are elemental to the business’ success.

For any aspiring or active entrepreneurs, protecting your business ideas will secure them in the future in case another entity attempts to steal or copy your work. You can protect intellectual property by filing a patent, acquiring a trademark or using a copyright. In the infographic below from LegalZoom, dig deeper to discover why trademarking your startup ideas will save you money and hassle long term as your business grows.

Infographic courtesy LegalZoom