IAM Issue 21

Intellectual property monetisation strategies need
greater focus. Until this can be achieved, the global
investment community will remain wary of IP as an
asset class. A recent high-level symposium held in
upstate New York marked a commitment to drive this
issue into the mainstream

Google’s purchase of YouTube again shows that the company is prepared to embrace internet users rather than to see them as a threat. Traditional copyright-owning companies would do well to follow suit.

Company market value is often tied to intellectual assets, yet most
managers still cannot simply turn to their computer and generate a report
on what those assets are and how they are performing. Some companies,
however, are wising up

You do not have to be a top 10 academic or research institution to
have a high-class tech-transfer programme, as three very different US
universities show

When conversation turns to IP and offshoring, things can often get heated.
But whether people like it or not, moving certain types of IP work to
countries such as India is here to stay. And, if done properly, it can also
bring major cost savings without any drop in quality

The US brand licensing industry is in crisis and unless action is taken
quickly things will continue to stagnate if they do not get even worse

Further interdisciplinary training on IP management is vital if the full
potential in IP rights is to be realised. What is needed is a master’s
programme that helps to overcome current educational shortcomings

An in-depth analysis of the companies inside private equity portfolios shows that
in many sectors they are less likely to own patents than their publicly owned
counterparts. Unless this problem is addressed these companies will continue
to operate at a disadvantage that could have an affect on their profitability

In force in the UK since the end of 2005, IFRS 3 was supposed to ensure
that company accounts were generally more transparent for business
acquisitions and specifically provided more information about the value of
intangibles. In reality, this has not happened

Nothing signifies Germany’s determination to position itself as a hub in the
knowledge economy better than its life sciences industry. And, as in other
countries, companies in the sector have contrasting approaches to
commercialising their intellectual property

In this special roundtable, three leading experts discuss major issues
currently facing IP owners in Germany

In the field of automotive component production, Webasto AG is a seasoned
player. Its slick and streamlined IP department, along with excellent lines of
communication, means it is well placed to extract maximum value from its
rights, as well as get an edge in the market

Although German companies have a strong innovative tradition, they must
use intellectual property creatively if they are to be successful in meeting
the economic challenges of the 21st century

Two ECJ decisions mean that
patent holders can no longer make
use of cross-border infringement
proceedings when seeking to
enforce their rights in Europe.
Instead, they will have to go country
by country. Blocking torpedo actions,
however, remain a distinct possibility

If we look closely at the links between
IP behaviours and mathematical
theory we may be able to get closer
to developing universally accepted
valuation methods

Some patents are broad and
difficult to enforce. It does not
necessarily make them any
less inventive

There are any number of exciting
IP strategies being advocated and
pursued these days. Whether they
can be applied to high-tech startups,
however, is not so clear

While the registration of a URL can
prove to be one of the most valuable
investments a company can make,
writes Dominic Speller of CPA, the
strategic importance of domain
names is seldom recognised at
corporate level – often because
companies are unaware of how to
measure the value of their domain
name portfolios