IAM Issue 70

Building a portfolio in the present that has strategic value in the future is a challenge – but one that patent owners must confront head-on in order to secure the future of their businesses

In December, a diverse crowd of over 400 IP stakeholders from across Asia, as well as further afield, gathered in Shanghai for IPBC Asia 2014. It may have been cold outside, but the rapid pace of change in the IP markets across the region meant that the atmosphere inside the Ritz-Carlton crackled with heat, as discussions focused on monetisation, value creation, investment and the political and judicial developments that affect them.

The unregulated era of standard-essential patent licensing is coming to a close. While such licensing has always taken place within a web of rules, the controls were not seamless and the amounts of money involved – especially in the telecommunications sector – invited gaming

Recent judicial decisions and legislative reforms in the United States are transforming the patent marketplace as we know it. To keep up with the change, rights holders will have to reassess their transaction strategies

As the 114th US Congress gets underway, Congressman Goodlatte has already signalled his intention to make patent reform one of his top priorities. But with the opposition camp far better organised, a drop in patent litigation and Supreme Court decisions changing the dynamic, the landscape now looks very different

While patent sales may offer early-stage companies a new route to return on investment for innovation, they also equip buyers with assets that could be enforced against start-ups. Working out the net benefit – or otherwise – is a complex task

Critics of the IP system often argue that patents have little or no role to play in the success of start-ups and their ability to secure funding. However, a recent study of early-stage businesses backed by French investors would suggest otherwise

As technologies become increasingly complex, many companies rely on open innovation to bring products to market. Benefiting from public research by means of technology transfer is therefore vital

A selection of key IP facts and figures, as reported by IAM and other sources

In a year of change for the IP market and its further internationalisation, some achievements and developments stood out

A round-up of IP-related quotes, observations and opinions from the recent past …