Key Takeaways

  • Choosing the right legal structure is critical for liability protection, taxes, and growth.
  • A clear business plan should outline the product, market strategy, and financial roadmap.
  • Protecting intellectual property through NDAs, patents, copyrights, and trademarks is essential.
  • Defining your software business model (e.g., SaaS, licensing, services) impacts revenue streams and scalability.
  • Building a strong development and leadership team is key for innovation and execution.
  • Early funding decisions (bootstrapping, angel investors, venture capital) shape company growth.
  • Compliance with industry regulations, data security, and insurance reduces risk exposure.

You can start a software company in the USA by making a business plan, choosing a business type, booking a name with the state authorities, and obtaining a registration certificate. Other steps you may need to take to make the software business functional is getting a tax ID, obtaining business licenses and permits, and protecting your business's intellectual property.

Determining the Legal Structure of Your Business

Determining the legal structure of a business is important. The ideal structure for a business depends on the goals of the business:

  • A sole proprietorship is the most basic type of business and requires minimum paperwork to start. This type of business is managed by a single person. However, a business set up as a sole proprietorship limits the ability of the business to get employees and funding.
  • A partnership is a business that is formed by the joining of hands between two or more people. The major advantage of a partnership over a sole proprietorship is that the burden of managing the business may be reduced since it falls on more than one person. Owners of a partnership have limited liability and can be sued as individuals as a result of the work they have done on behalf of the business.
  • A limited liability company is designed to enable small-scale business owners to function without worrying about personal liability. The business type is suitable for business owners who desire liability protection but have no immediate need to expand rapidly.
  • A corporation is the business type of choice for software companies that seek to grow rapidly. Filing your business as a corporation may help you to quickly get investors and lenders that can propel the business toward an initial public offering (IPO). Corporations are expensive to maintain because of strict governmental requirements and double taxation.

Consult a business lawyer and CPA to find out more about the relative tax, management, and legal advantages of each business type.

Choosing the Right Business Model

Beyond legal structure, founders must decide on the business model that defines how the company generates revenue. Common software company models include:

  • SaaS (Software as a Service): Customers pay recurring fees to access cloud-based applications. This model offers predictable revenue but requires ongoing infrastructure and customer support.
  • Licensed Software: Clients pay upfront for perpetual or time-limited licenses. This can provide higher short-term revenue but may limit recurring income.
  • Freemium Model: The software is free at the entry level, with paid premium features. This is effective for attracting users quickly but relies on strong conversion strategies.
  • Custom Software Development: Companies build solutions tailored to client needs. This model can generate high-value contracts but may limit scalability.

Selecting a model depends on your target market, resources, and long-term growth strategy.

How to Make a Business Plan

Before starting a software business, it is important to make a business plan. A business plan is a document that states the purpose of your business. It gives details about your marketing efforts, product competition, financial needs, and goals of the business. The business plan can act as a guide to help you achieve your business goals. A business plan normally describes the following about your business:

  • The business concept
  • Market research
  • Marketing planning
  • Operations plan
  • Financial plan

Regardless of the business type you have chosen, you'll likely need to take steps to get your business off the ground:

  • You may need to report a name for your business with your state. You may also need to file another name, the Doing Business As (DBA) name that you will use in branding.
  • You may be required to file business registration documents to get a registration certificate in your state.
  • A federal tax ID is needed to facilitate tax payment. This ID can obtained online on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website.
  • Get the required business permits, licenses, and mandatory insurance policies. You can find out more about the exact license and permits a software company is required to have in your area through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) guide.

Building Your Development and Leadership Team

A software company’s success often hinges on the strength of its team. Consider these roles early:

  • Technical team: Developers, engineers, and product managers who turn ideas into working software.
  • Business leadership: Founders or executives who set vision, handle financing, and oversee operations.
  • Sales and marketing: Professionals who build brand awareness, acquire customers, and manage growth.
  • Customer support and success: Teams that retain users and ensure long-term satisfaction.

Many startups outsource certain functions (such as design, testing, or accounting) before scaling to in-house teams. Establishing clear leadership roles early helps avoid conflict and ensures accountability.

How to Protect Your Software From Intellectual Property Theft

Although developing useful, commercially viable software is extremely difficult, it is easy for your ideas to be stolen and used at your expense. It is important for newly formed software companies to protect their inventions from such theft. This can be achieved by:

  • Making sure that employees and consultants who have access to privileged info about the business operations sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). A business lawyer can help you draft a good NDA.
  • Obtaining patents for each of your company's inventions. A patents lawyer can help you deal with the lengthy process of acquiring a patent.
  • Registering company product names and symbols with the U.S. Patents and Trademarks Office.
  • Registering your product copyright, so you can prove that you invented the product. Copyright protection has a longer period of validity compared to patenting.

Securing Funding and Managing Costs

Starting a software company often requires outside capital. Common funding sources include:

  • Bootstrapping: Using personal savings or reinvesting early revenue to maintain control.
  • Angel investors: Individuals who invest in exchange for equity and often provide mentorship.
  • Venture capital (VC): Firms that invest larger amounts to fuel rapid growth, often requiring board seats and equity stakes.
  • Crowdfunding: Platforms that allow pre-selling products or equity to the public.

Budget planning should include software development, infrastructure (such as cloud hosting), marketing, salaries, and compliance expenses. Founders should also factor in insurance policies to mitigate risks such as data breaches, professional liability, and business interruptions.

Compliance, Security, and Risk Management

Software companies must comply with data protection laws and industry regulations. Depending on your market, these may include:

  • GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) for European users.
  • CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) for U.S. customers.
  • HIPAA compliance for health-related software.
  • PCI DSS standards for handling financial transactions.

Security should be embedded from the start through encryption, secure coding practices, and regular audits. Additionally, obtaining cyber liability insurance and errors & omissions (E&O) coverage protects the company against lawsuits and financial losses tied to software performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is the first step in starting a software company?
    The first step is choosing the legal structure and business model, as these decisions affect taxes, liability, and funding opportunities.
  2. How much does it cost to make a software company?
    Costs vary but typically include software development, cloud infrastructure, licenses, legal fees, and marketing. Early budgets often range from $50,000 to $500,000.
  3. Do I need to register my software company before building products?
    Yes. Registering your company and obtaining an EIN, licenses, and permits ensures compliance and allows you to open business bank accounts.
  4. How can I protect my software from being copied?
    Protect it through patents, copyrights, trademarks, NDAs, and strong cybersecurity measures.
  5. Can I start a software company without outside funding?
    Yes. Many founders bootstrap their startups, but scaling often requires angel investment, VC, or other financing sources.

If you need help with how to make a software company, you can post your legal need on UpCounsel's marketplace. UpCounsel accepts only the top 5 percent of lawyers to its site. Lawyers on UpCounsel come from law schools such as Harvard Law and Yale Law and average 14 years of legal experience, including work with or on behalf of companies like Google, Menlo Ventures, and Airbnb.