Problems of Intellectual Property Rights Protection for Digital Startups as An Effort to Ensure Business Continuity and Technological Innovation

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protection is a fundamental aspect in supporting business sustainability and technological innovation, especially for digital startups that rely heavily on intangible assets such as applications, software, algorithms, brands, and creative content. Digital startups require legal certainty to prevent their innovations from being easily copied or misused by others. However, in practice, IPR protection in Indonesia still faces various problems, ranging from low awareness among startups regarding the importance of IPR registration, high rates of digital product piracy, to weak law enforcement against IPR violations. Furthermore, existing regulations are often not fully harmonized, both between national laws and with international legal provisions such as the TRIPs Agreement and standards set by WIPO. This condition has serious impacts on the sustainability of startup businesses, including the loss of innovative ideas, reduced investor confidence, and decreased Indonesian technological competitiveness at the global level. To overcome these problems, more comprehensive legal efforts are needed, including reform of IPR regulations, the implementation of a digital-based registration system, an increased government role in education and outreach, and strengthened law enforcement against IPR violations. Thus, effective IPR protection not only safeguards the exclusive rights of business actors but also serves as a strategic instrument for ensuring business continuity and fostering a sustainable technological innovation ecosystem in Indonesia.