Patents are filed regularly by businesses of all sizes to protect technology and other intellectual property. However, the patent process is a long one, generally taking two to three years, and it is one that is still misunderstood by a surprisingly high number of startups. It is an expensive process too, and you can’t afford for anything to go wrong. Here are five common mistakes startups should avoid with intellectual property and during the patent process. We’ll explain why they are mistakes and how to avoid making them yourself.