EP #146: Patents vs. Trade Secrets — Protect Your Concrete Ideas

PRESENTED BY: CONCRETE LOGIC ACADEMY
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EPISODE SUMMARY
If you’re building something new in this industry—mix designs, equipment, software, processes—there’s a good chance you’re creating intellectual property… without realizing it.


In this episode, Seth Tandett sits down with Chen Wang, CEO of Steelike, to talk patents, trade secrets, NDAs, and the real-world decisions that decide whether you protect your advantage—or hand it to someone else.


This isn’t legal theory. It’s how innovation actually gets copied in construction, why “we’ll just patent it” is usually oversimplified, and what a smart IP strategy looks like when you’re trying to build a business.



WHAT YOU’LL LEARN


· The difference between patents, trade secrets, and copyrights (and why it matters)
· When a patent makes sense—and when it can create new headaches
· How trade secrets can last forever (but only if you treat them like secrets)
· What you should protect: formulations, processes, tooling, or workflow
· Why NDAs are common—and why they don’t magically solve everything
· How enforcement really works when someone copies your idea
· The biggest misconceptions about IP in construction and engineering
· How to build an IP strategy that matches your business model

CHAPTERS

00:00 – Understanding intellectual property in construction
05:00 – The basics of intellectual property
08:34 – When to patent vs. keep a trade secret
10:32 – Deciding what to protect: formulations and processes
13:52 – Enforcing patents and trade secrets
15:58 – The risks and rewards of patents
18:47 – Identifying valuable trade secrets
20:05 – Protecting your ideas before sharing
23:33 – Navigating NDAs in the construction industry
25:24 – Developing an IP strategy
27:37 – Misconceptions about IP in construction

GUEST INFO
Chen Wang, CEO
Steelike
[email protected]
https://steelike.com/


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CREDITS
Producer: Karl Watson, Jodi Tandett & Concrete Logic Media


Music by Mike Dunton:
https://www.mdunton.com/



WHERE TO FIND SETH
https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-tandett/
https://www.youtube.com/@concretelogicpodcast
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