Patent issues are not vital for most startups but, when they are, need to be handled properly. Most startups that need patents will file provisional patent app

Patent issues are not vital for most startups but, when they are, need to be handled properly. Most startups that need patents will file provisional patent applications, which can be done pretty cheaply and which stake out the claims while kicking the can down the road on the real work (and expense). I've never seen a startup put everything on hold for patents in the manner you are alluding to, and that sounds intuitively wrong - you should arrange an initial meeting with a good patent lawyer to assess this issue (usually this is enough to make good preliminary judgments on this issue and it is not expensive).