Shem Lachhman Provisional Patents and IP Strategy for Biotech Founders Stories in Life Sciences

More foreign inventors are filing U.S. patents than Americans. The system built to protect innovation has become increasingly difficult for the founders and researchers it was designed to serve.In this episode of Stories in Life Sciences by MedAxis AI, Christopher Wilson sits down with Shem Lachhman, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Menlo Park Patents, to break down what founders actually need to know about protecting their IP.Shem started as an electrical engineer building medical devices. After navigating expensive patent fees across multiple startups, he built Menlo Park Patents to make IP protection accessible at a fraction of traditional costs. His background spans tech transfer offices, medical device startups, and patent strategy, giving him a grounded perspective on where the system works and where it fails founders.We cover:Why the U.S. first-to-file system gives foreign competitors a structural advantageWhat a provisional patent is and why it is every founder's first moveHow academics and corporate employees can navigate IP ownership and invention rightsThe risk of using AI tools like ChatGPT for patents and what the USPTO says about AI inventorsHow Menlo Park Patents helps founders protect IP at a fraction of traditional costsLessons from building medical device startups and working with tech transfer officesWhat first-time founders, researchers, and employee inventors need to know about IP strategyWho this is for: biotech and medtech founders, academic researchers, and early-stage inventors who want to understand how to protect their IP without overcomplicating the process.Guest: Shem LachhmanManaging Partner and Co-Founder, Menlo Park Patentshttps://menloparkpatents.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/shemlachhmanhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/mppatentsHost:Christopher Wilson, Founder, MedAxis AIwww.medaxisai.orghttps://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-wilson-medaxisai https://www.linkedin.com/company/medaxisaiFollow Stories in Life Sciences on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube for new episodes.