Does Bigfoot Forestry have any patents material to the franchise?
Bigfoot_Forestry Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
No patents or pending patent applications are material to the franchise.
Although we have not filed an application for copyright registration for our Manual, website or marketing materials, we do claim a copyright to these items.
During the term of the Franchise Agreement, we allow you to use certain confidential and proprietary information (some of which constitute "trade secrets") relating to the development, marketing and operation of a Bigfoot Forestry Business. Examples include:
- methods, techniques, policies, procedures, standards and specifications
- supplier lists, customer lists and information regarding suppliers and customers
- marketing and merchandising strategies
- information comprising the System
We will own all ideas, improvements, inventions, marketing materials and other concepts you develop relating to a Bigfoot Forestry Business. We will also own all operational and customer data relating to your Bigfoot Forestry Business. You must treat this data as confidential and proprietary. We license you the right to use this data during the term of your Franchise Agreement. You must comply with all applicable data protection laws and our data processing and data privacy policies in the Manual.
We provide access to our confidential information through the Manual, training programs and other periodic support and guidance. You may use this information solely for purposes of developing, marketing and operating your Business in compliance with the Franchise Agreement and Manual. All information in the Manual is confidential. You may not disclose our confidential information to anyone other than your employees, on a need-to-know basis, without our prior permission. All your employees and independent contractors must sign the Confidentiality Agreement attached to the Franchise Agreement as ATTACHMENT "E" before you give them access to our confidential information (including all Project Managers and Service Technicians).
You must promptly notify us if you discover an unauthorized use of our proprietary information or copyrighted materials. We are not required to act, but will respond as we deem appropriate. You may not control any proceeding or litigation involving allegations of unauthorized use of our proprietary information or copyrighted materials. We have no obligation to indemnify you for any expenses or damages you incur as a result of any such proceeding or litigation. There are no infringements known to us at this time.
Source: Item 14 — PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS, AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION (FDD pages 31–32)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Bigfoot Forestry's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, no patents or pending patent applications are material to the franchise. However, Bigfoot Forestry does claim a copyright to its manual, website, and marketing materials, even though they have not filed for copyright registration.
During the franchise term, Bigfoot Forestry allows franchisees to use confidential and proprietary information, including trade secrets, related to the development, marketing, and operation of a Bigfoot Forestry Business. This includes methods, techniques, policies, procedures, supplier lists, customer lists, marketing strategies, and information comprising the Bigfoot Forestry system. All ideas, improvements, inventions, marketing materials, and other concepts developed by the franchisee related to the Bigfoot Forestry Business will be owned by Bigfoot Forestry, as well as all operational and customer data.
Bigfoot Forestry provides access to its confidential information through the manual, training programs, and other support. Franchisees may only use this information to operate their business in compliance with the Franchise Agreement and manual. Franchisees must notify Bigfoot Forestry of any unauthorized use of their proprietary information or copyrighted materials, but Bigfoot Forestry is not obligated to act. Franchisees are not allowed to control any litigation involving unauthorized use of Bigfoot Forestry's proprietary information and Bigfoot Forestry has no obligation to indemnify franchisees for expenses or damages incurred as a result of such litigation.