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Protect What Makes Your Business Valuable
Your brand, your creative work, your inventions, and the competitive advantages you have built over time. Intellectual property protection makes sure they stay yours.
Trusted by Business Owners Across Iowa and Texas
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Four types of intellectual property protection
TM
Trademarks
Protect your business name, logo, and slogans. A federal trademark gives you nationwide priority and stops competitors from trading on the brand you built.
Learn More ©
Copyrights
Protect original works you create: website content, software, photography, course materials, marketing assets, and more. Registration unlocks the right to sue for infringement.
Learn More ⚙
Patents
Protect novel inventions, products, and processes. Patents are a multi-year investment, but they can be a decisive competitive advantage for the right business.
Learn More 🔒
Trade Secrets
Protect confidential business information that gives you a competitive edge: pricing strategies, customer lists, proprietary processes, and formulas.
Learn MoreNot sure which type of protection you need?
Most business owners know their brand and ideas are valuable. The harder question is figuring out which legal tools actually protect them. Trademark, copyright, patent, and trade secret protections each cover something different, and most growing businesses need more than one.
That is exactly what an IP strategy consultation is for. We help you identify your most valuable assets, match them to the right type of protection, and build a plan that fits your budget. If you are not sure where to start, start with a conversation.
Trademarks: Protect Your Brand
Your brand is often the most valuable asset in your business. A federal trademark registration protects your business name, logo, and slogans nationwide. It gives you legal priority over anyone who tries to use a similar name, and it puts the entire country on notice that the mark is yours.
Most people do not realize that trademarks are not about exact matches. The legal standard is “likelihood of confusion,” which means two names that sound alike can create a conflict even if they are spelled differently. Just because a domain name is available does not mean the business name is free to use.
Surge handles trademark registration from start to finish with flat-fee pricing spread over 12 months. Every package includes a clearance search, USPTO filing, one office action response, and 12 months of brand monitoring.
Trademark registration packages
Flat-fee pricing with a 12-month payment plan. Every package includes a professional clearance search, USPTO filing, one office action response, and brand monitoring.
Most Popular
Word Mark
Protect your business name or slogan
- Expert trademark search
- USPTO filing (1 class)
- One office action response
- 12 months of brand monitoring
- Federal protection nationwide
Logo Mark
Protect your visual brand identity
- Expert trademark search
- USPTO filing (1 class)
- One office action response
- 12 months of brand monitoring
- Federal protection nationwide
Word + Logo
Maximum brand protection
- Expert trademark search
- USPTO filing (1 class)
- One office action response
- 12 months of brand monitoring
- Federal protection nationwide
Copyrights: Protect What You Create
If your business produces original work, copyright law applies to it. Website copy, blog posts, photographs, videos, graphic designs, software code, course materials, marketing content. All of it is copyrightable from the moment it is created.
But there is a catch. Copyright exists automatically, but you cannot sue for infringement unless you have registered the work with the U.S. Copyright Office. Registration also makes you eligible for statutory damages and attorney’s fees, which gives you real leverage if someone copies your work.
For software companies, content creators, and anyone who invests in original creative assets, copyright registration is one of the most cost-effective protections available. Surge handles copyright registration as part of your IP strategy.
Copyright registration pricing
| Volume | Standard | Member |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 applications | $325 each | $300 each |
| 4-7 applications | $300 each | $275 each |
| 8+ applications | $250 each | $225 each |
Government filing fees are separate and vary by type of work. Volume discounts apply when registering multiple works.
Patents: Protect Your Inventions
A patent protects a novel invention, product, process, or method. In exchange for publicly disclosing how it works, the government gives you the exclusive right to make, use, and sell it for up to 20 years. For the right business, a patent can be a decisive competitive advantage.
Patent prosecution is a specialized, multi-year process that is significantly more expensive than trademark or copyright registration. It requires a registered patent attorney or agent, and the application process is highly technical. Getting it right matters because errors can limit the scope of protection you receive.
Surge helps clients build IP strategies that include patents. We evaluate whether patent protection makes sense for your business, help you understand the timeline and investment, and connect you with specialized patent firms for the prosecution work. Coordinating trademarks, copyrights, and patents as a single strategy avoids gaps and reduces costs.
Trade Secrets: Protect Your Competitive Advantages
Not every valuable piece of intellectual property needs a government filing. Some of the most important competitive advantages a business has are things that should never be made public at all. That is where trade secret protection comes in.
A trade secret is any confidential business information that gives you a competitive edge. Your custom pricing sheet that took years of market testing to refine. Your client list with detailed notes about each relationship. Your proprietary process for delivering a service faster or better than anyone else. These are battle-hardened documents and systems that drive your business, and they need protection.
The risk is real. When an employee leaves for a competitor or starts their own business, can they take that pricing sheet with them? Can they use your client list to poach your customers? Without the right agreements and policies in place, the answer might be yes.
Surge helps businesses protect trade secrets through non-disclosure agreements, non-compete and non-solicitation clauses, employee handbooks, and confidentiality policies. Trade secret protection is growing more important every year as businesses become more information-driven and employee mobility increases.
How we build your IP strategy
Step 1
Identify Your Assets
We start by understanding your business and identifying the intellectual property worth protecting: your brand, your creative works, your inventions, and your confidential information.
Step 2
Match the Right Protection
Each type of IP protection covers something different. We match your assets to the legal tools that actually protect them, so nothing gets missed and nothing gets wasted.
Step 3
Prioritize and Execute
We build a plan that fits your budget and timeline. Most businesses start with trademark registration and layer in additional protections as they grow.
Step 4
Monitor and Enforce
Protection is not a one-time event. We monitor your trademarks, keep your agreements current, and are ready to enforce your rights when someone crosses the line.
Why business owners choose Surge for IP protection
Transparent Pricing
Flat-fee packages with no hidden costs. Trademark registration is spread over 12 monthly payments. Copyright registration has simple per-application pricing.
Real Accessibility
Meet in person, by video, phone, email, or text message. Evening hours are available each week. You always have a direct line to your attorney.
Full-Service Firm
Unlike filing services, Surge handles contracts, entity formation, employment law, disputes, and more. One firm that knows your whole business.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a trademark and a copyright?
A trademark protects your brand identity: your business name, logo, and slogans. A copyright protects original creative works: written content, photography, software, videos, and designs. Many businesses need both. We help you figure out which protections apply to your situation.
Do I need a patent for my business?
Not every business needs a patent. Patents protect novel inventions, products, and processes. They are a significant investment in time and money. During a consultation, we can help you evaluate whether patent protection makes sense for your business and connect you with a specialized patent attorney if it does.
What counts as a trade secret?
Any confidential business information that gives you a competitive advantage can qualify as a trade secret. Common examples include pricing strategies, customer lists, proprietary processes, formulas, and vendor relationships. The key requirement is that you take reasonable steps to keep the information secret.
How do I protect my trade secrets from departing employees?
The foundation is having the right agreements in place before employees have access to confidential information. Non-disclosure agreements, non-compete clauses, non-solicitation agreements, and clear confidentiality policies in your employee handbook all play a role. Surge can draft or review these documents for your business.
Can I file a trademark and copyright at the same time?
Yes. Trademark and copyright registration are separate processes at different federal agencies, and they can run in parallel. We often help clients file both as part of a broader IP strategy. The processes do not conflict with each other.
How much does trademark registration cost?
Surge offers trademark registration with flat-fee pricing spread over 12 months. A word mark registration starts at $310 upfront plus $140 per month for 12 months for members. Every package includes a clearance search, USPTO filing, one office action response, and brand monitoring.
Do you handle IP disputes and infringement?
Yes. If someone infringes your trademark, copies your copyrighted work, or misappropriates your trade secrets, Surge can help you enforce your rights. We handle demand letters, negotiation, and dispute resolution for IP matters.
What if I am not sure what I need?
That is exactly what the initial consultation is for. We will review your business, identify your most valuable assets, and recommend the protections that make sense for your situation and budget. There is no cost for the initial consultation.
Ready to protect your intellectual property?
Schedule a free consultation and we will identify your most valuable assets, recommend the right protections, and build a plan that fits your budget.