Asia deals, rise and rise of open source, full IPBC 2017 report, and more in the new issue of IAM

Issue 85 of IAM is now online and available to subscribers. The cover story this time around focuses on the wide range of corporate cultures prevalent in Asian technology companies and why it is important for deal makers to understand what these are. Our Asia-Pacific editor Jacob Schindler spoke to senior in-house managers, as well as a number of third-party advisers and intermediaries, to get their take on the value of understanding how an IP-based transaction might be viewed and sold inside such businesses. The fact that they have such different ways of doing things and very distinct outlooks will affect their willingness to sit down to negotiate, as well as what they are after. One size certainly does not fit all; even in the same country different companies will have very different ways of seeing the same kind of issues. You will only flourish as a deal maker in Asia if you realise this.

Another big change over the last decade has been open source software’s emergence as the primary underpinning of so many high-tech products. But this undoubted success story has come with IP growing pains. Our North America editor Richard Lloyd explores some of these – particularly with regard to open source’s co-existence with proprietary offerings.

In mid-June senior IP value creators from around the world assembled in Ottawa to take part in the 10th annual IPBC Global. In issue 85, we report on the highlights of proceedings in the Canadian capital, including in-depth discussions on issues as diverse as what makes a world-class in-house IP group, the developing shape of the Internet of Things IP landscape, and how to maximise your chances of success in patent sales and licensing deals.

On top of that, we report on the emergence of research-based life sciences companies in India and survey the standard-essential patent landscape worldwide. Look out, too, for a feature on cyber security in the driverless cars space, as well as a plea for a more generous approach to patent monetisation from policy makers; and a guide to how to protect trade secrets on the factory floor. We also run in-depth interviews with three of 2017’s inductees into the IP Hall of Fame, along with a tribute to the fourth – Carl Horton – who died tragically young at the end of 2016.

Throw in the regulars and those of you lucky enough to be heading off on holiday this summer will have plenty to read as you soak up the sun.