Young Tech Prodigy Launches AI-Powered Patent Application Startup
At just 26 years old, Daniel Ruskin is no stranger to the tech world. The former Coinbase engineer, who started his career at the tender age of 14, is now setting his sights on transforming the patent application process with his new startup, Inventex.
Ruskin’s journey began as a teenage coder, exchanging his skills for bitcoin on online forums. His talent caught the attention of Coinbase, where he contributed significantly to the platform’s early development. After four years at the crypto exchange, Ruskin pursued higher education, including law school, while launching several startups along the way.
The inspiration for Inventex came from Ruskin’s frustration with the patent process during his work on an election security company. In December 2024, he founded Inventex in Salt Lake City, aiming to streamline patent applications using AI technology supported by licensed attorneys.
Inventex’s innovative approach quickly attracted investors, securing $2.4 million in pre-seed funding just one month after launch. The round was co-led by Conviction Capital, Coinbase co-founder Fred Ehrsam, and Cambrian Ventures, with additional participation from Boost and others.
The startup’s process involves analyzing technical data provided by clients, identifying patentable inventions, and drafting applications. Ruskin claims Inventex can make companies patent-pending “10x faster” than traditional firms, reducing the timeline from months to days.
Maksim Stepanenko, a former Coinbase colleague and current founder of Operator, praised Ruskin’s abilities, describing him as “one of the most quietly impressive people” he’s worked with.
Inventex’s model aims to provide higher-quality patents by fine-tuning AI models for specific technical areas. The company has already secured about $250,000 in annual recurring revenue, with clients including two publicly traded companies and numerous startups.
Looking ahead, Ruskin envisions a shift in the patent law field, with drafting becoming more efficient and strategy taking center stage. He believes this change will make the patent system more accessible to innovators of all sizes.
As Inventex continues to grow, Ruskin’s ambitious goal of revolutionizing patent applications with AI is well underway, potentially reshaping the landscape of intellectual property protection in the tech industry.
