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# Do You Actually Own Your IP?
- URL: https://zahradnik.io/do-you-actually-own-your-ip/
- Published: 2025-11-23T23:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2025-11-24T22:53:24.000Z
- Author: Vladimír Záhradník
- Tags: Field notes, IP, Trademark, EUIPO, Entrepreneurship, Startup, Brand strategy, Consulting, Sovereignty

**Originally published on LinkedIn (reformatted for zahradnik.io / Medium)**

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As a founder, I treat my **company name** as a core asset — not a decoration.  
It carries the story, the mission, and years of my work. Losing it, or being forced to rebrand, is simply **not an option**.

Yesterday I submitted an **EU-wide trademark application**, and here’s the lesson that surfaced clearly:

> **Most founders ignore their IP until it’s too late.**

Some assume *“nobody will copy me now,”* others outsource the entire process to law firms that charge a premium but rarely understand the product as deeply as the founder does.

The truth is simple:

> **It’s far easier (and cheaper) to protect your brand while you’re invisible than to fight for it once you become visible.**

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I registered a **word mark** — the strongest form of protection.  
Logos and visuals can always come later; the **name** must be defensible today.

The good news? Through the [**EUIPO SME Fund**](https://www.euipo.europa.eu/sk/sme-corner/sme-fund/2025?ref=zahradnik.io), small and medium businesses can receive **up to 75% reimbursement**.  
Applying for the voucher costs nothing except time — and only after approval do you submit the actual trademark filing.

> Note: The 2025 EUIPO SME Fund is now exhausted. If you plan to apply, keep an eye on the next funding cycle — these vouchers disappear fast.

For me, the full process took:

- \~7 hours of focused work,
- **€1500 upfront**,
- **€350 net** after reimbursement.

For a **10-year, EU-wide protection**, that’s an excellent deal.

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To illustrate why this matters, I looked at a well-known Slovak company in the fitness space (no names — the point is the pattern, not the brand).

Their **logos** are protected.  
But the **name itself** is not.

A competitor could theoretically register the word mark first — and the original company would face years of avoidable legal and financial headaches.

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### **Takeaway for founders:**

**Protect your assets early.**  
Especially now — when the EU literally pays you to do it.