Patent Attorney and Founder
Hey everyone. Welcome to the Bold Patents Tulsa page.
I’m JD Houvener, founder and patent attorney at Bold Patent Law Firm.
I want to share five local resources every Tulsa founder should know.
I’m an entrepreneur too. I built this firm from scratch.
I know how heavy the early days feel.
You’re building ideas.
You’re juggling details.
And sometimes it feels like you’re doing it alone.
You’re not.
Starting a company usually takes more than one person.
It takes a circle. Sometimes a whole village.
Here are five places in Tulsa that help with exactly that.
First: The Forge.
This is my top pick. No contest.
It’s a certified business incubator. You apply to get in.
If accepted, you get mentors, training, and shared workspace.
That last part matters more than people think.
Founders learn from founders.
You overhear problems. You steal smart ideas. It helps.
Bottle Learning came out of The Forge.
They turned K–2 learning into a game. Solid work.
Don’t skip this one.
Second: 36 Degrees North.
This one leans tech-heavy.
It’s built for fast-growth startups.
Capital access. Investor connections. Training. Workspace.
Much of Tulsa’s tech scene traces back here.
Sway Medical launched from this program.
They build FDA-cleared software for balance testing.
That’s real impact.
Third: iStart.
Like the iPhone. Just iStart.
It’s a nonprofit accelerator. You still apply.
This one focuses on hardware and software execution.
Quick note here. Slow down when equity comes up.
Some programs ask for a piece of your company or IP.
That’s not always bad.
But it’s never casual.
Talk to a lawyer first.
Business or patent. Oklahoma-licensed if possible.
Read before you sign. Always.
Fourth: ACT House Accelerator.
Six months. Equity-free.
They focus on Black- and Latino-led startups.
If that’s you, they want to hear from you.
They have funding to deploy. Real money.
Over 45 startups funded.
More than $4 million in revenue generated.
This isn’t window dressing.
They back founders.
Fifth: Gradient.
Tulsa’s largest tech incubator.
Over 40 supported startups.
Mentors. Investors. Tax perks. Operations help.
Tulsa Remote grew out of this space.
They used the community and workspace to scale fast.
Worth a look.
If you have questions about patents, trademarks, or IP strategy, reach out.
We offer free discovery calls. Happy to help.
Go big. Go bold.