VATT IP Management was founded by Kathryn Vatt, a scientist, former United States Patent Examiner, and devoted wife and mother of seven, with over 25 years shaping the future of innovation. Recognized as one of the Top 30 Patent Drafters and Prosecutors and the #1 LinkedIn Global Influencer in Innovation/IP Law, Kathryn has built a career at the intersection of science, law, and business—helping inventors, startups, and global companies turn creativity into competitive advantage.

A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (B.S. Biology) and Johns Hopkins University (M.S. Biotechnology), Kathryn is currently pursuing her Juris Doctor in Patent Law at the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law, one of the world’s leading IP programs. Her rare cross-disciplinary background gives her both the scientific insight and the legal strategy to protect ideas at the highest level.

At the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Kathryn examined thousands of patent applications, conducted exhaustive prior art searches, and made determinations that shaped industries and influenced global innovation. After leaving the Patent Office, she founded VATT IP Management, where she develops bulletproof IP strategies, drafts airtight applications, and supports litigation teams in defending patents. She also mentors engineering and life science students through Arizona State University’s Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute and judges international startup competitions, nurturing the next generation of innovators.

Her entrepreneurial vision extends to her ventures:

My Startup ShieldTM, a founder-focused program that helps startups secure their innovations before they pitch. It protects ideas at the earliest, most vulnerable stage and positions founders to raise capital with confidence — while giving investors the peace of mind that their money is going toward something truly defensible.

My AI ExaminerTM, the world’s first proprietary patent search platform that combines examiner-trained AI Patent Examiners with Kathryn’s own human review. Unlike conventional tools, it doesn’t just search faster — it “thinks like an examiner,” offering inventors and startups clarity, precision, and strategy.

MyKidVentorsTM, a STEM-inspired children’s book series born from her seven children’s real “What if?” questions. Through these imaginative stories, she nurtures curiosity in the next generation, showing that every big invention begins with a single question.

For Kathryn, the same motherly instinct that guides her family fuels her professional mission: to protect, guide, and nurture startups with care, strategy, foresight, and integrity. She believes innovation doesn’t just start in labs or boardrooms—it starts in the curious minds of those brave enough to ask, “What if?”

Why work with us

Because your pitch deserves protection. At VATT IP Management, we’ve seen too many startups lose everything from one unprotected investor meeting. As a former United States Patent Examiner, startup judge, investor, and global IP strategist with 25+ years of experience, I built My Startup ShieldTM to give founders a fast, affordable, and founder-friendly way to secure their IP before they pitch. We don’t just file paperwork — we make your IP investor-ready, so you can pitch with confidence knowing your innovation is safeguarded and your valuation is defensible.

Here’s why that matters: investors routinely come to me to evaluate IP portfolios before they write the check — and many base their funding decisions on my recommendations. As an investor myself and a former United States Patent and Trademark Office deciding official on patentability, I know exactly what makes IP credible and what raises red flags.

Protected, defensible IP tells investors their capital is going into real assets, not just ideas. By shielding your pitch, you’re not only protecting your innovation, you’re also making your startup a safer, more attractive investment.