Entrepreneurship and Small Business (ESB) Certification Practice Exam

To protect their inventions, entrepreneurs often pursue which legal measure?

1. Copyright

2. Trademark

3. Patent

4. License

The correct answer is: Patent

Entrepreneurs often pursue a patent as a legal measure to protect their inventions. A patent provides the inventor with exclusive rights to make, use, sell, and distribute their invention for a specified period, typically 20 years from the filing date. This legal framework is essential for encouraging innovation, as it rewards inventors by ensuring they can capitalize on their creations without the fear of unauthorized use or reproduction by others. In contrast, copyright protects original works of authorship such as literature, music, and art, rather than inventions. Trademark protection is crucial for brand identity, covering symbols, names, or slogans used to identify goods or services and differentiate them from competitors. A license generally refers to the permission granted to use someone else’s intellectual property under agreed-upon conditions, but it does not inherently provide protection for inventions. Therefore, a patent is specifically designed for safeguarding inventions, making it the correct choice in this context.