The syndicated buying of patents to achieve strategic business goals. By Feisal Mosleh, patent and IP strategist, ex HP Director, Patent sales, IP group. This article lays out the framework that many companies have used and are using to buy IP assets in an aggregated manner to maximize their benefits.... Some of the world’s largest corporations joined forces to acquire patent portfolios in the high-profile Nortel and Novell deals. Consortium buying also has advantages for small and mediumsized entities looking to purchase or sell patents...
Representing Asset Purchasers in Bankruptcy (Series: Bankruptcy Transactions ...Financial Poise
Representing an asset purchaser in a bankruptcy proceeding presents unique benefits and challenges for a professional business advisor. Companies considering acquiring assets out of bankruptcy must understand more than the simple concept of acquiring the target assets “free and clear,” under the Bankruptcy Code. As such, professionals advising these companies must understand and be able to counsel their clients regarding various matters, such as the benefits and drawbacks of serving as a “stalking horse,” asset purchaser; drafting and negotiating the terms of an asset purchase agreement and sale order with the bankrupt debtor and other parties involved in the bankruptcy proceedings; strategies for acquiring assets at auction or by alternative means; and seeking bankruptcy court approval of a proposed transaction. For 2021, professionals must also understand the impact that the economic programs enacted under the CARES Act may have on purchasing such assets. This webinar focuses on understanding these concepts and addressing best practices for advanced reorganization practitioners and advisors.
To view the accompanying webinar, go to:https://www.financialpoise.com/financial-poise-webinars/representing-asset-purchasers-in-bankruptcy-2021/
Buy-Sell Agreements for Investment Management Firms: An Ounce of Prevention i...Mercer Capital
If you are an owner of an investment management firm and have not reviewed your buy-sell agreement recently, you’re not alone. Buy-sell agreements are frequently the most forgotten corporate document in the file. No one thinks about buy-sell agreements until a triggering event, and then it becomes the only thing they think about. Partners are often surprised by the language in the contract they signed many years before, and too often a serious dispute breaks out between partners over what the words in the agreement mean, or were intended to mean. The purpose of this whitepaper is to equip ownership to understand the consequences of their buy-sell agreements before a controversy arises, and to make informed decisions about the drafting or re-drafting of the agreement that promote the financial health and sustainability of their firm.
Risk intelligence: How to reliably mitigate transaction risk and secure clean...Graeme Cross
This risk intelligence white paper is part of a series of publications from Aon Strategic Advisors & Transaction Solutions (ASATS). The series focuses on risk management and mitigation and is specifically created to help:
• Chief executives and corporate management board members pursuing growth strategies through M&A, or divesting
• Corporate tax managers, development officers and legal counsel responsible for planning, overseeing and / or delivering planned value from M&A
• Chief executive and chief financial officers of private-equity backed portfolio companies
• Private equity executives, portfolio managers and risk officers
• Corporate finance, accounting, tax and legal advisors servicing corporate and private
equity clients
Like the sale of goods, sometimes the share of ownership in a company must be discounted due to difficulty in finding a buyer. Liquidation costs of equity in private businesses may be substantial, and the equity’s value is discounted for that potential illiquidity. Likewise, partial ownership of a private firm may be worth less than proportional share of the total business. This webinar delves into these types of discounts and how they may impact the valuation of your asset.
Part of the webinar series: Valuation 2021
This slide deck is one I made as a part of my investing bootcamp. The focus is on brokers and what elements help an investor choose the right one(s) for them.
Representing Asset Purchasers in Bankruptcy (Series: Bankruptcy Transactions ...Financial Poise
Representing an asset purchaser in a bankruptcy proceeding presents unique benefits and challenges for a professional business advisor. Companies considering acquiring assets out of bankruptcy must understand more than the simple concept of acquiring the target assets “free and clear,” under the Bankruptcy Code. As such, professionals advising these companies must understand and be able to counsel their clients regarding various matters, such as the benefits and drawbacks of serving as a “stalking horse,” asset purchaser; drafting and negotiating the terms of an asset purchase agreement and sale order with the bankrupt debtor and other parties involved in the bankruptcy proceedings; strategies for acquiring assets at auction or by alternative means; and seeking bankruptcy court approval of a proposed transaction. For 2021, professionals must also understand the impact that the economic programs enacted under the CARES Act may have on purchasing such assets. This webinar focuses on understanding these concepts and addressing best practices for advanced reorganization practitioners and advisors.
To view the accompanying webinar, go to:https://www.financialpoise.com/financial-poise-webinars/representing-asset-purchasers-in-bankruptcy-2021/
Buy-Sell Agreements for Investment Management Firms: An Ounce of Prevention i...Mercer Capital
If you are an owner of an investment management firm and have not reviewed your buy-sell agreement recently, you’re not alone. Buy-sell agreements are frequently the most forgotten corporate document in the file. No one thinks about buy-sell agreements until a triggering event, and then it becomes the only thing they think about. Partners are often surprised by the language in the contract they signed many years before, and too often a serious dispute breaks out between partners over what the words in the agreement mean, or were intended to mean. The purpose of this whitepaper is to equip ownership to understand the consequences of their buy-sell agreements before a controversy arises, and to make informed decisions about the drafting or re-drafting of the agreement that promote the financial health and sustainability of their firm.
Risk intelligence: How to reliably mitigate transaction risk and secure clean...Graeme Cross
This risk intelligence white paper is part of a series of publications from Aon Strategic Advisors & Transaction Solutions (ASATS). The series focuses on risk management and mitigation and is specifically created to help:
• Chief executives and corporate management board members pursuing growth strategies through M&A, or divesting
• Corporate tax managers, development officers and legal counsel responsible for planning, overseeing and / or delivering planned value from M&A
• Chief executive and chief financial officers of private-equity backed portfolio companies
• Private equity executives, portfolio managers and risk officers
• Corporate finance, accounting, tax and legal advisors servicing corporate and private
equity clients
Like the sale of goods, sometimes the share of ownership in a company must be discounted due to difficulty in finding a buyer. Liquidation costs of equity in private businesses may be substantial, and the equity’s value is discounted for that potential illiquidity. Likewise, partial ownership of a private firm may be worth less than proportional share of the total business. This webinar delves into these types of discounts and how they may impact the valuation of your asset.
Part of the webinar series: Valuation 2021
This slide deck is one I made as a part of my investing bootcamp. The focus is on brokers and what elements help an investor choose the right one(s) for them.
Valuation Issues in Developing and Executing Buy-Sell AgreementsSkoda Minotti
A buy-sell agreement is one of the most common tools utilized by lawyers and business advisors in protecting their business owner clients. In this presentation, you will learn about valuation issues that are critical to buy-sell agreements, such as the use of formulas and valuation discounts, which can significantly impact the parties to the agreement if and when it is triggered.
Buying & Selling IP (Series: Intellectual Property 201)Financial Poise
IP rights are an important class of intangible assets that can be assigned or licensed to generate revenue. Indeed, some companies do not make or sell products; their entire revenue is derived from the licensing of their patents. Suffice it to say, licensing revenue has become a significant source of value in the global intellectual property economy. This webinar will help you better understand the complex legal issues associated with IP transactions.
To view the accompanying webinar, go to: https://www.financialpoise.com/financial-poise-webinars/buying-selling-ip-2021/
A deposit is a pre-agreed instalment towards the purchase price in a sale contract.
The Courts have held that the 2 functions of a deposit are to be:
- an earnest commitment to bind the bargain, which means a deposit acts as an indication the Buyer is serious in carrying out the bargain; and
- a guarantee of due performance, that is security of the performance.
A deposit is usually paid at or upon shortly upon the buyer’s signing of the contract.
Usually, a deposit should be no more than 10% of the total purchase price, and commonly may be less. Note: there is no specific laws on that deposit percentage amount per se*.
The other practical, commercial and financial reasons for why a deposit is useful:
> Often the seller will incur not-insignificant fees and expenses (e.g. sale preparatory work and undergoing due diligence, applying to lessor for consent to assignment of lease etc), independent of whether the actual contract proceeds to settlement or completion. So may be also used to partially-compensate for some of those costs incurred If the buyer ultimately walks away”.
> Loss of potential, other sale opportunities during the express or implied exclusivity period during the conditions precedent of sale contract. This could be months or longer
> It's good to have the buyer show it has “skin in the game” by having such "hurt money" put upfront on & the table.
Tip: Even with the best of Confidentiality Deeds/NDAs , the deposit helps reinforce the value and proprietary nature of the seller’s business or entity.
> Not uncommonly, the Buyer entity may be newly-established . Therefore, if there is default or repudiation, even if they are subsequently pursued by the seller, the Buyer may not have any actual capitalisation to be realised against!
> Lastly, if a buyer or won’t (or can’t!?) put up even the deposit, then you should have serious concerns about their financial capacity to commit all the way through the transaction.
Safeguard your lending program by learning about the 8 steps of credit risk management. Learn about nonfinancial risks, structuring the loan, and more.
Fairness Considerations in Going Private TransactionsJeff Davis
While there once may have been a good reason to be a public company (or not), that may no longer be the case: hence, consideration of a go-private transaction may be warranted. This short presentation is intended to provide an overview of some issues surrounding a decision to take an SEC-registrant private. This presentation does not cover all issues with going private transactions; nor should it be construed to convey legal, accounting or tax-related advice. Companies considering such a move should hire appropriate legal and financial advisors.
Fairness Considerations in Going Private TransactionsMercer Capital
A presentation by Jeff K. Davis, CFA, that provides an overview of issues surrounding a decision to take an SEC-registrant private.
Pros and Cons of Going Private
Structuring a Transaction
Valuation Analysis
Fairness Considerations
Eye of the Tiger: Preparing to Sell Your BusinessNow Dentons
This presentation outlines the role of legal counsel in the acquisition process, pre-sale due diligence, important strategic issues in selling your business, as well as tax considerations related to the sale of a business.
This presentation on Valuation of Early Stage Companies was Presented at Maple Leaf Angels Lunch and Learn Series. The Shamrock method of Valuation created by the Author was introduced at this presentation.
Valuation Issues in Developing and Executing Buy-Sell AgreementsSkoda Minotti
A buy-sell agreement is one of the most common tools utilized by lawyers and business advisors in protecting their business owner clients. In this presentation, you will learn about valuation issues that are critical to buy-sell agreements, such as the use of formulas and valuation discounts, which can significantly impact the parties to the agreement if and when it is triggered.
Buying & Selling IP (Series: Intellectual Property 201)Financial Poise
IP rights are an important class of intangible assets that can be assigned or licensed to generate revenue. Indeed, some companies do not make or sell products; their entire revenue is derived from the licensing of their patents. Suffice it to say, licensing revenue has become a significant source of value in the global intellectual property economy. This webinar will help you better understand the complex legal issues associated with IP transactions.
To view the accompanying webinar, go to: https://www.financialpoise.com/financial-poise-webinars/buying-selling-ip-2021/
A deposit is a pre-agreed instalment towards the purchase price in a sale contract.
The Courts have held that the 2 functions of a deposit are to be:
- an earnest commitment to bind the bargain, which means a deposit acts as an indication the Buyer is serious in carrying out the bargain; and
- a guarantee of due performance, that is security of the performance.
A deposit is usually paid at or upon shortly upon the buyer’s signing of the contract.
Usually, a deposit should be no more than 10% of the total purchase price, and commonly may be less. Note: there is no specific laws on that deposit percentage amount per se*.
The other practical, commercial and financial reasons for why a deposit is useful:
> Often the seller will incur not-insignificant fees and expenses (e.g. sale preparatory work and undergoing due diligence, applying to lessor for consent to assignment of lease etc), independent of whether the actual contract proceeds to settlement or completion. So may be also used to partially-compensate for some of those costs incurred If the buyer ultimately walks away”.
> Loss of potential, other sale opportunities during the express or implied exclusivity period during the conditions precedent of sale contract. This could be months or longer
> It's good to have the buyer show it has “skin in the game” by having such "hurt money" put upfront on & the table.
Tip: Even with the best of Confidentiality Deeds/NDAs , the deposit helps reinforce the value and proprietary nature of the seller’s business or entity.
> Not uncommonly, the Buyer entity may be newly-established . Therefore, if there is default or repudiation, even if they are subsequently pursued by the seller, the Buyer may not have any actual capitalisation to be realised against!
> Lastly, if a buyer or won’t (or can’t!?) put up even the deposit, then you should have serious concerns about their financial capacity to commit all the way through the transaction.
Safeguard your lending program by learning about the 8 steps of credit risk management. Learn about nonfinancial risks, structuring the loan, and more.
Fairness Considerations in Going Private TransactionsJeff Davis
While there once may have been a good reason to be a public company (or not), that may no longer be the case: hence, consideration of a go-private transaction may be warranted. This short presentation is intended to provide an overview of some issues surrounding a decision to take an SEC-registrant private. This presentation does not cover all issues with going private transactions; nor should it be construed to convey legal, accounting or tax-related advice. Companies considering such a move should hire appropriate legal and financial advisors.
Fairness Considerations in Going Private TransactionsMercer Capital
A presentation by Jeff K. Davis, CFA, that provides an overview of issues surrounding a decision to take an SEC-registrant private.
Pros and Cons of Going Private
Structuring a Transaction
Valuation Analysis
Fairness Considerations
Eye of the Tiger: Preparing to Sell Your BusinessNow Dentons
This presentation outlines the role of legal counsel in the acquisition process, pre-sale due diligence, important strategic issues in selling your business, as well as tax considerations related to the sale of a business.
This presentation on Valuation of Early Stage Companies was Presented at Maple Leaf Angels Lunch and Learn Series. The Shamrock method of Valuation created by the Author was introduced at this presentation.
Although every deal is different, understanding any purchase/sale agreement will help you understand other purchase sale agreements. Stated another way, most M&A documents include a similar set of sections and use a similar vocabulary. This episode explains specific, common provisions and discusses how buyers and sellers approach these provisions differently, particularly in light of situational differences (e.g. whether the assets being bought and sold are equity of a company or the assets of a company; whether the seller is going to cease to exists or not). Topics covered will include tax issues; corporate governance; closing conditions; representations and warranties; indemnification provisions; earn-outs; restrictive covenants; antitrust; intellectual property; and employment issues.
Part of the webinar series:
M&A BOOT CAMP - 2022
See more at https://www.financialpoise.com/webinars/
Selling a Private Company: An Executive Guide to Help Prepare and Manage a Pr...Fenwick & West
In this presentation, Fenwick & West partner Kris Withrow highlights the process and negotiation strategies that drive value and the key steps and hot-button issues that ensure there are no skeletons in the business that could leave your team or counsel flat-footed.
Key & Common Negotiated Provisions - Part 1 (Series: PRIVATE COMPANY M&A BOOT...Financial Poise
Although every deal is different, understanding any purchase/sale agreement will help you understand other purchase sale agreements. Stated another way, most M&A documents include a similar set of sections and use a similar vocabulary. Episodes 3 and 4 of this series explain specific, common provisions and discuss how buyers and sellers approach these provisions differently, particularly in light of situational differences (e.g. whether the assets being bought and sold are equity of a company or the assets of a company; whether the seller is going to cease to exists or not). Between Episodes 3 and 4, topics covered will include tax issues; corporate governance; closing conditions; representations and warranties; indemnification provisions; earn-outs; restrictive covenants; antitrust; intellectual property; and employment issues.
To view the accompanying webinar, go to: https://www.financialpoise.com/financialpoisewebinars/on_demand_webinars/common-negotiated-provisions-part-1/
Key Provisions in M&A Agreements (Series: M&A Boot Camp)Financial Poise
Although every deal is different, understanding any purchase/sale agreement will help you understand other purchase sale agreements. Stated another way, most M&A documents include a similar set of sections and use a similar vocabulary. This episode explains specific, common provisions and discusses how buyers and sellers approach these provisions differently, particularly in light of situational differences (e.g. whether the assets being bought and sold are equity of a company or the assets of a company; whether the seller is going to cease to exists or not). Topics covered will include tax issues; corporate governance; closing conditions; representations and warranties; indemnification provisions; earn-outs; restrictive covenants; antitrust; intellectual property; and employment issues.
To view the accompanying webinar, go to: https://www.financialpoise.com/financial-poise-webinars/key-provisions-in-ma-agreements-2021/
Naturally, MF distribution does not encompass single-family houses. The less apparent fact is that both residential multi-family homes and smaller units (two between four and 70 units respectively) provide fewer benefits when compared to MF properties that are typically classified as having 70plus units. In any case you should focus your efforts on commercial MF properties to benefit from some of the benefits. These benefits include the notions that Naturally, MF distribution does not encompass single-family houses. The less apparent fact is that both residential multi-family homes and smaller units (two between four and 70 units respectively) provide fewer benefits when compared to MF properties that are typically classified as having 70plus units. In any case you should focus your efforts on commercial MF properties to benefit from some of the benefits. These benefits include the notions that
• They're large enough to allow you to employ an on-site property manager
• They're typically financed with an recourse loan, which means that the bank is not able to seek the owner's personal assets when they fail to pay
• And are typically evaluated in terms of income (NOI/CAP) rather than market comparable.
An Insider’s Guide to Acquisitions for the Mid-sized Company - Part 3 of 9Brad D. Cherniak
Part 3 of our series on acquisitions for the mid-sized private technology or tech-enabled service company:
'Finding a partner when the playing field is tilted' - Next to good luck or kismet, process discipline is key to effectively finding your business's soul mate.
. . .
Thinking of making an acquisition as a mid-sized private technology or tech-enabled service company?
- A 9-part series from Sapient Capital Partners.
Virtual data rooms and vendor due diligence have given sellers more control in the M&A process. But with an economic cooldown on the horizon, how can sellers continue to maximise their chances of success?
The Biggest Cyber and Physical Security Threats to Critical Infrastructure FM...Fas (Feisal) Mosleh
The Biggest Cyber and Physical Security Threats to Critical Infrastructure by Fas Mosleh, ex-HP, ex-IBM, ex-Broadcom. Discusses how critical infrastructure can be compromised by physical and security threats. Critical infrastructure refers to the systems, facilities, and networks that are essential to the functioning of a society and its economy. These are the assets that, if damaged or disrupted, could have a significant impact on public health and safety, economic security, and national security. Social engineering: This involves manipulating people into divulging sensitive information or taking actions that compromise security. Phishing is a primary example of such manipulation and is still one of the most prevalent types of attack. According to the 2021 Data Breach Investigations Report by Verizon, phishing was involved in 36% of all data breaches, making it the top threat action in the report. Phishing attacks are also becoming increasingly sophisticated and targeted, with attackers using social engineering tactics to trick victims into divulging sensitive information or downloading malware. This can include impersonating trusted individuals or organizations, creating convincing fake websites or emails, and using urgent or threatening language to pressure victims into taking action.
According to the 2021 State of the Phish Report by Proofpoint, 75% of organizations surveyed reported being targeted by phishing attacks in 2020, and 59% of those attacks were successful in compromising at least one user account or system. The report also found that COVID-19 related phishing attacks were particularly prevalent in 2020, taking advantage of the pandemic to trick victims into providing personal information or downloading malware.
5. Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks: These attacks flood a system with traffic, overwhelming it and causing it to crash or become unavailable.
6. Advanced persistent threats (APTs): APTs are sophisticated, long-term attacks that target specific organizations and can involve multiple stages of infiltration and exfiltration.
According to the 2023 CrowdStrike Global Threat Report, An uptick in social engineering tactics targeting human interactions – Tactics such as vishing direct victims to download malware and SIM swapping to circumvent multi-factor authentication (MFA).
WHITE PAPER - The Importance of CIP in the Energy Sector v2.0.pdfFas (Feisal) Mosleh
NERC CIP outline for energy utilities. The growing energy sector must understand how to improve its critical infrastructure protection as outlined by the NERC CIP standards in North America.
https://youtu.be/EbFj7I_K37Q
Juldee IP and tech monetization v4 by ex-Hewlett-Packard Director of IP Fas M...Fas (Feisal) Mosleh
Ever wondered how to best leverage your innovation – technology, patents and IP – to create additional value for your venture? You can increase your business valuation, create a revenue stream or generate a small windfall for your business by monetizing technology and patents along the way. IP and technology M&A can help create value whether you are early stage, mid stage or later stage.
Introduction to IP and technology licensing for technology executives by Fas ...Fas (Feisal) Mosleh
Introduction to Concepts in IP and Technology Licensing. This presentation sets out the basics of technology and IP licensing for CTOs, Engineering, Technology execs and CEOs to understand how to strategically leverage their intellectual property for the benefit if their business. The basics of technology and IP licensing also point the way to IP monetization.
Innovation & disruption hp talk april 2010 juldee versionFas (Feisal) Mosleh
A presentation on Innovation. Given to Hewlett-Packard headquarter and labs employees. Contains many examples of innovation undertaken by technology companies including Netflix, Amazon, EBay, Toyota, Blackberry, YouTube, Daimler Benz, Google, Lexus, Audi, Nokia, etc. Go to www.Juldee.com for more info.
As part of the Kanzatec Creative Venturing Series, we held Part 3 - Creative Funding in Silicon Valley
Did you know that there are many creative ways to fund your company that don't need Venture
Capital or Angel Investments. Join us to learn what other sources are available to you and how to
take advantages of these resources, such as government loans, leveraging your intellectual property and crowdsourcing.
Creative exits v3 10 20-2013 for distribution Fas Mosleh at OPEN Networking E...Fas (Feisal) Mosleh
We explore the many ways that you can get some kind of valuable payout before you move on to your next project. We will discuss several interesting ways of ensuring that you and your investors can walk away with something in your pockets. When is the best time to plan out an exit strategy? We examine exits contemplated in the early stages through the later stages.
Have you ever wondered what it is you need to do to increase the valuation of your company to get the best payout when you exit? This panel will discuss many ways of upping your valuation and how to start the process in the early days as well as improving it in the latter days of the life of the company.
For example, adding high profile industry experienced people to your team, buying or developing really interesting patents, creating channels, a brand, relationships that matter. Other ways include increasing your customer base and creating products that fit the gaps which larger competitors possess. When an acquiring company looks at you, what constitutes your value drivers?
Join a distinguished panel comprising entrepreneurs and acquirers as well as financial experts who can give you an idea of how to best increase your company’s valuation.
Why acquire patents in high tech?
Develop an IP strategy that encompasses a patent acquisition strategy. An effective patent strategy needs to consider the options of monetization, including licensing and sale as well as a cogent make and buy approach.
How to Get CNIC Information System with Paksim Ga.pptxdanishmna97
Pakdata Cf is a groundbreaking system designed to streamline and facilitate access to CNIC information. This innovative platform leverages advanced technology to provide users with efficient and secure access to their CNIC details.
Maruthi Prithivirajan, Head of ASEAN & IN Solution Architecture, Neo4j
Get an inside look at the latest Neo4j innovations that enable relationship-driven intelligence at scale. Learn more about the newest cloud integrations and product enhancements that make Neo4j an essential choice for developers building apps with interconnected data and generative AI.
Generative AI Deep Dive: Advancing from Proof of Concept to ProductionAggregage
Join Maher Hanafi, VP of Engineering at Betterworks, in this new session where he'll share a practical framework to transform Gen AI prototypes into impactful products! He'll delve into the complexities of data collection and management, model selection and optimization, and ensuring security, scalability, and responsible use.
A tale of scale & speed: How the US Navy is enabling software delivery from l...sonjaschweigert1
Rapid and secure feature delivery is a goal across every application team and every branch of the DoD. The Navy’s DevSecOps platform, Party Barge, has achieved:
- Reduction in onboarding time from 5 weeks to 1 day
- Improved developer experience and productivity through actionable findings and reduction of false positives
- Maintenance of superior security standards and inherent policy enforcement with Authorization to Operate (ATO)
Development teams can ship efficiently and ensure applications are cyber ready for Navy Authorizing Officials (AOs). In this webinar, Sigma Defense and Anchore will give attendees a look behind the scenes and demo secure pipeline automation and security artifacts that speed up application ATO and time to production.
We will cover:
- How to remove silos in DevSecOps
- How to build efficient development pipeline roles and component templates
- How to deliver security artifacts that matter for ATO’s (SBOMs, vulnerability reports, and policy evidence)
- How to streamline operations with automated policy checks on container images
Securing your Kubernetes cluster_ a step-by-step guide to success !KatiaHIMEUR1
Today, after several years of existence, an extremely active community and an ultra-dynamic ecosystem, Kubernetes has established itself as the de facto standard in container orchestration. Thanks to a wide range of managed services, it has never been so easy to set up a ready-to-use Kubernetes cluster.
However, this ease of use means that the subject of security in Kubernetes is often left for later, or even neglected. This exposes companies to significant risks.
In this talk, I'll show you step-by-step how to secure your Kubernetes cluster for greater peace of mind and reliability.
GraphSummit Singapore | The Future of Agility: Supercharging Digital Transfor...Neo4j
Leonard Jayamohan, Partner & Generative AI Lead, Deloitte
This keynote will reveal how Deloitte leverages Neo4j’s graph power for groundbreaking digital twin solutions, achieving a staggering 100x performance boost. Discover the essential role knowledge graphs play in successful generative AI implementations. Plus, get an exclusive look at an innovative Neo4j + Generative AI solution Deloitte is developing in-house.
The Art of the Pitch: WordPress Relationships and SalesLaura Byrne
Clients don’t know what they don’t know. What web solutions are right for them? How does WordPress come into the picture? How do you make sure you understand scope and timeline? What do you do if sometime changes?
All these questions and more will be explored as we talk about matching clients’ needs with what your agency offers without pulling teeth or pulling your hair out. Practical tips, and strategies for successful relationship building that leads to closing the deal.
Dr. Sean Tan, Head of Data Science, Changi Airport Group
Discover how Changi Airport Group (CAG) leverages graph technologies and generative AI to revolutionize their search capabilities. This session delves into the unique search needs of CAG’s diverse passengers and customers, showcasing how graph data structures enhance the accuracy and relevance of AI-generated search results, mitigating the risk of “hallucinations” and improving the overall customer journey.
Why You Should Replace Windows 11 with Nitrux Linux 3.5.0 for enhanced perfor...SOFTTECHHUB
The choice of an operating system plays a pivotal role in shaping our computing experience. For decades, Microsoft's Windows has dominated the market, offering a familiar and widely adopted platform for personal and professional use. However, as technological advancements continue to push the boundaries of innovation, alternative operating systems have emerged, challenging the status quo and offering users a fresh perspective on computing.
One such alternative that has garnered significant attention and acclaim is Nitrux Linux 3.5.0, a sleek, powerful, and user-friendly Linux distribution that promises to redefine the way we interact with our devices. With its focus on performance, security, and customization, Nitrux Linux presents a compelling case for those seeking to break free from the constraints of proprietary software and embrace the freedom and flexibility of open-source computing.
GraphRAG is All You need? LLM & Knowledge GraphGuy Korland
Guy Korland, CEO and Co-founder of FalkorDB, will review two articles on the integration of language models with knowledge graphs.
1. Unifying Large Language Models and Knowledge Graphs: A Roadmap.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2306.08302
2. Microsoft Research's GraphRAG paper and a review paper on various uses of knowledge graphs:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/blog/graphrag-unlocking-llm-discovery-on-narrative-private-data/
DevOps and Testing slides at DASA ConnectKari Kakkonen
My and Rik Marselis slides at 30.5.2024 DASA Connect conference. We discuss about what is testing, then what is agile testing and finally what is Testing in DevOps. Finally we had lovely workshop with the participants trying to find out different ways to think about quality and testing in different parts of the DevOps infinity loop.
Unlocking Productivity: Leveraging the Potential of Copilot in Microsoft 365, a presentation by Christoforos Vlachos, Senior Solutions Manager – Modern Workplace, Uni Systems
GridMate - End to end testing is a critical piece to ensure quality and avoid...ThomasParaiso2
End to end testing is a critical piece to ensure quality and avoid regressions. In this session, we share our journey building an E2E testing pipeline for GridMate components (LWC and Aura) using Cypress, JSForce, FakerJS…
Essentials of Automations: The Art of Triggers and Actions in FMESafe Software
In this second installment of our Essentials of Automations webinar series, we’ll explore the landscape of triggers and actions, guiding you through the nuances of authoring and adapting workspaces for seamless automations. Gain an understanding of the full spectrum of triggers and actions available in FME, empowering you to enhance your workspaces for efficient automation.
We’ll kick things off by showcasing the most commonly used event-based triggers, introducing you to various automation workflows like manual triggers, schedules, directory watchers, and more. Plus, see how these elements play out in real scenarios.
Whether you’re tweaking your current setup or building from the ground up, this session will arm you with the tools and insights needed to transform your FME usage into a powerhouse of productivity. Join us to discover effective strategies that simplify complex processes, enhancing your productivity and transforming your data management practices with FME. Let’s turn complexity into clarity and make your workspaces work wonders!
Observability Concepts EVERY Developer Should Know -- DeveloperWeek Europe.pdfPaige Cruz
Monitoring and observability aren’t traditionally found in software curriculums and many of us cobble this knowledge together from whatever vendor or ecosystem we were first introduced to and whatever is a part of your current company’s observability stack.
While the dev and ops silo continues to crumble….many organizations still relegate monitoring & observability as the purview of ops, infra and SRE teams. This is a mistake - achieving a highly observable system requires collaboration up and down the stack.
I, a former op, would like to extend an invitation to all application developers to join the observability party will share these foundational concepts to build on:
Mind map of terminologies used in context of Generative AI
Syndicated Patent Deals = Supercharging the buying and selling of patents by Fas Mosleh ex-Hewlett-Packard Director of IP
1. Intellectual Asset Management November/December 2013 55www.iam-magazine.com
Syndicated
patent deals: the
supercharging of
selling and buying
What is a syndicated patent deal and
how can it provide a better pathway to
monetisation for small and medium-
sized companies buying or selling patent
portfolios? What are the challenges for
sellers and buyers, and what are the main
benefits and opportunities? Here we discuss
the main stages of a syndicated patent
purchase transaction. We share examples of
how and how not to do it, and techniques
to create the optimal conditions for a
syndicated buy opportunity – also known
as ‘superpooling’.
We discuss the anatomy of a standard
patent transaction, comparing it with
a syndicated patent portfolio sale and
answering questions such as:how does
the syndicated deal come about? What
kind of patent portfolio is right for
a syndicated sale? What are the key
advantages and disadvantages of such a
deal? We also highlight the dos, don’ts
and ‘gotchas’ of a syndicated deal,
concluding with an action plan for owners
and buyers of patent assets.
What is a syndicated patent deal?
In a syndicated patent deal, a patent
portfolio is sold to multiple buyers which
are members of a syndicate. This syndicate
is typically pulled together by a third
Some of the world’s largest
corporations joined forces to
acquire patent portfolios in the
high profile Nortel and Novell
deals. Consortium buying also has
advantages for small and medium-
sized entities looking to purchase or
sell patents
By Fas Mosleh
party with experience of patent pooling,
managing and structuring such complex
transactions, which are much like M&A
transactions in their complexity and in
the need for multiple negotiations and
strategic business case development and
presentation.
Creating the optimal conditions for a
syndicated deal is called‘superpooling’(see
Figure 4). But why do it? Simply, in certain
circumstances the pay-off can be worth it (see
Table 1). If you have the right portfolio which
is of enough interest to multiple parties, the
price range is high enough to offset the costs
and complexity and you are willing to take a
greater risk and wait longer, then a syndicated
patent sale is for you (see Figure 2).
How might it come about?
Imagine that I am the CEO of an
e-commerce firm which owns the Z60
portfolio, comprising 60 US patents.
From a recent portfolio segmentation and
valuation exercise, my IP counsel and chief
technology officer have determined that
Z60 is being infringed fairly extensively
and could be worth a significant amount
if licensed or sold. As we do not want to
distract from the company’s main purpose
of building products, I have recommended
to the board that we sell these assets and
we have a plan outlining the options to
monetise these assets through a one-off
sale, rather than licensing.
We hire an analysis firm that assesses
all of our assets and finds that one-third
of them are directly infringed by 30 major
players, plus another 30 smaller players.
We spend about US$120,000 to assess the
entire portfolio and create multiple claim
charts and indication of use documents.
The Z60 portfolio is now valued for
sale at about US$15 million to US$20
million, based on the aggregate product
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revenue infringing the assets. However, we
determine that Z60 is a strong candidate for
a syndicated sale because it is large enough
and affects enough players and revenues to be
a significant magnet for multiple corporate
buyers. These buyers will have strong reasons
to buy, as indicated by the strong evidence
of use and mapping of infringing product
revenues in a large market.
I must now decide whether to create
my own team to sell the assets or to hire
the services of a broker or M&A specialist
with experience in large, complex patent
transactions. When it comes to driving a
critical transaction, the internal team is
limited in terms of not only expertise and
connections, but also time and bandwidth.
Therefore, I select an outside firm whose
fees will depend on the close of a successful
transaction. They will have enough skin in
the game to see it to a winning end.
Making a syndicated deal happen: the
perfect storm
Getting to a committed state and selecting the
approach (in-house or external) is a good first
step, but to pull off the deal you need to create
a perfect storm (see Figure 5). The critical
success factors include having the right
(qualified) portfolio and the best business deal
team you can afford, and creating the most
compelling reasons for multiple buyers to sign
up to a syndicated purchase.
Is my patent portfolio right for a
syndicated patent sale?
The basic business, technical and legal
qualification criteria must all be met
(see Figure 6). Further, the seller must be
committed to a patent sale that may take
at least 12 months. The portfolio may be
suitable for a syndicated deal if it passes
muster in the following areas:
• Quality of assets (enough infringement
on enough revenues to be meaningful to
buyers).
• Quantity of assets (enough to be
meaningful to buyers).
• Legal health of assets (no legal glitches).
• Technical mapping on major product
revenues of multiple buyers.
• Value exceeds about US$10 million for a
standard sale.
However, be warned: although such
deals are not as distracting as licensing or
litigation, and they produce higher returns
than standard patent sales deals, under the
right circumstances they are all-consuming
for the business deal team owning the
project and are absolutely not for the
faint-hearted.
Key advantages and disadvantages of a
syndicated patent deal
In a syndicated patent deal, multiple buyers
converge, led by a pooling specialist. Such
a deal has both benefits and disadvantages
(see Table 5a and 5b). The key benefits are
that the seller gets a lot more money for
its portfolio, while buyers need not spend
as much to get the benefits of a patent
portfolio.
However, there are numerous
Legal
Finance/
MA
TechnologyBusiness/
strategy/
marketing
Approve
acquisition
Legal
Finance/
MA
Technology
Business/strategy/
marketing
Still
important
Become drivers
for purchase
decision
Figure 1a. ‘Standard deal’ is biased to legal and technology rationale
Figure 1b. Syndicated deals use a much higher degree of finance, MA and strategy/
marketing rationale
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disadvantages:
• The specialised resources needed.
• The amount of work that must be done
by the seller or its agent.
• The cost of business case preparation, as
well as communication and agreement
of terms with so many sophisticated
corporate buyer organisations.
• The complexity of the sale, which can
lead to delays and buyer drop-outs, as
well as risks in closing the transaction
on time and within the requirements of
the syndicate.
Standard patent sale v a syndicated sale
In a standard patent deal the seller either
hires a broker or arranges a sale directly
with a buyer. The process includes analysing
the portfolio, creating marketing materials,
taking the portfolio to market, supporting
the buyer’s due diligence, managing the
negotiation of the terms of the patent
purchase agreement and conducting the
closing of the transaction. During the
marketing process there may be several
buyers which present offers and competitive
bidding will ensue, resulting in a reasonably
fair, market-determined price.
In a syndicated patent sale multiple
buyers converge, led by a pooling specialist,
to buy the patent portfolio jointly. The
overall process is almost the same as that
for a standard patent sale; however, there are
certain steps with much greater complexity
and requiring extra work and resources, in
order to manage multiple aspects and bring
the pool of buyers together to agree a final
transaction. Additionally, the portfolio must
Table 1. Comparing average patent deal with syndicated deals
Deal parameters ‘Standard’ big deal Syndicated deal Notes
Timing 6-12 months 12+ months Intrinsically slow, especially due to
multiple large companies buying
Cost Low High Higher costs for preparation,
business case development;
communication and negotiation with
buyers, all multiplied many times
Complexity Medium High Many tasks with legal, BD, finance
and marketing and buyer specific
analyses, due diligence final
negotiations
Price/revenue 100 150 On average 30%-50% higher sale
price
Risk of not closing Medium High Many in flight aspects multiply
chances of failure
A successful syndicated patent sale occurs
• Size of portfolio
• Quality of assets
• Size of market
• # of infringing products
and revenues
• Successful marketing
package
• Persuasive business case
• Successful recruitment of
syndicate members
• Critical mass of buyers
in syndicate
• Transaction negotiations
completed
• Deal closed
Figure 2. Hitting escape velocity
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pass certain minimum criteria way before it
can qualify as a syndicated deal.
Challenges for sellers and buyers in a
syndicated sale
A multiple-party syndicated purchase can
be exciting and yet challenging for sellers
(see Table 3). The seller’s management and
perhaps the board are expecting more money
and a higher percentage of net revenues, and
can become impatient when multiple buyers
must be brought on board gradually.
In addition, each buyer will almost
certainly want to negotiate and customise
the patent purchase agreement. It is
important that the experienced business
team, which has done this before,can
persuade each buyer to accept the minimum
amount of changes; however, multiple
redlines will likely float back and forth.
Frustration, impatience and concerns
over costs and ultimate net revenue are all
challenges to be expected. In addition,the
risk that the transaction will fall apart due
to an unknown gremlin always keeps sellers
and their teams preoccupied, especially if
one or two buyers drop out; even if done
confidentially, this can cause an unwanted
domino effect if left unchecked.
Buyers which are expecting to share in
the purchase of a promising portfolio are
looking for well-conceived, strategically
compatible reasons to buy. They cannot
tolerate prior art, weak evidence of use or
any other rocky facet that turns up during
final due diligence.
The fact that they have to share the
assets will reduce the strategic benefits that
their companies usually expect to gain, but
they are paying much less for the privilege.
However, the business case rationale for a
complex, multi-buyer deal will have to pass
through higher hurdles and will inevitably
attract the scrutiny of more senior
executives, even though the actual cost is
much lower than an exclusive purchase.
This leads us to understand better what
Pre-
qualification
Analyse/
prepare
Go to
market
Diligence
support
Negotiate Close
Committed seller?
Experienced deal team? MA, BD
technical legal
finance
Size, value, relevance of portfolio = qualified?
Sound analysis
Figure 3. Stages of a syndicated deal flow
Figure 4. “SuperPooling” – supercharged
syndicated pool based buying
Creating optimal conditions for
a syndicated purchase to happen
• The right portfolio
– Legal
– Technical
– Market/financial/business impact
– Identify the critical reasons to buy
• Stable, committed seller
• Identification of multiple buyers with
a reason to buy
• Assembling the business/sales team
– Analytics
– Legal
– BD/negotiation
– Marketing/finance
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is really needed from the seller in order to
bring a sophisticated corporate IP buyer on
board. The buyer must ensure that its patent
acquisition strategy aligns with its broader
patent and corporate strategy. It must assure
itself that the seller portfolio fits within
the realm of targets based on its strategic
objectives, potential synergies, organisational
and product/market needs, and the feasibility
of a deal (see Figure 8). Through rigorous
support of due diligence, the buyer is helped
to understand the potential for value creation
and the contributing drivers (eg, key patents
or applications).
To help the transaction to proceed
smoothly, the buyer must be adequately
supported in structuring the deal,
communicating its rationale to stakeholders
and executives, and planning for integration.
To provide a foundation for success after
the deal closes, the seller or its agent must
help buyers to extract the value for its
organisation according to the transaction’s
strategic objectives.
Some knowledge of the buyer’s internal
processes and capabilities to execute
Dependable
seller
The right
portfolio
reasons to
buy
Proven business
team
Multiple ready
buyers
Critical success factors
The perfect storm
Figure 5. Making a syndicated deal happen
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• Valid to be shopped to multiple buyers?
• Enough value to buyers?
• Is investment worth the expense?
Seller agrees
Basic business
Size/segmentation
Market space
Quality
Health/expiry
Legal
Validity
Enforceability
Product mapping
Technical
IOU/EOU
Licensing revenues
(1st pass)
Q
U
A
L
I
F
I
E
D
Key
qualification
criteria
24
0
6 months
Time
12 months
1010
Strategic
NPE
Range
Offerprice(US$m)
Portfolio being sold: assumptions
• 35 assets including 5 apps
• 12 claim charts, 15 IOUs
• US$2b market with 40+ participants
• Top 20 users are targeted
Standard deal
• US$10m standard offer
• Takes approx 6 months to get
• 20% commission fees
• US$200k legal, analysis costs
• Net revenue to seller = US$7.8m
24
0
6 months 12 months
Portfolio being sold: assumptions
• 35 assets including 5 apps
• 12 claim charts, 15 IOUs
• US$2b market with 40+ participants
• Top 20 users are targeted
Syndicated deal (low) US$12m
• 20% higher than standard offer
• Takes approx 25% longer to get
• US$2m contributed per buyer (6)
• US$600k legal, analysis, BD costs
• 20% commission fees
• Costs = US$3m
• Net revenue to seller = US$9m
Standard deal
• US$10m standard offer
• Takes approx 6 months to get
• 20% commission fees
• US$200k legal, analysis costs
• Net revenue to seller = US$7.8m
1010
Strategic
NPE
Range
12
Offerprice(US$m)
Time
Figure 6. Patent portfolio qualification gates
Figure 7a. Progression of offers – ‘standard’ deal
Figure 7b. Progression of offers – ‘standard’ v syndicated low
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successful transactions and its strategic
needs will help to smooth the path to a
complex transaction.
Key stages in a syndicated patent sale
A syndicated patent sale has at least six
clear stages (see Figure 3), starting with pre-
qualification, where the seller or its agent
identifies clearly whether the portfolio is
qualified to be in a syndicated sale. Parameters
such as the size of the portfolio, the quality
of the assets, the size of the market and the
number of infringing products and revenues
are ascertained (see Figure 6).
The next stage of further analysis is
used to build the rationale for the reason
to buy for the target buyers. This involves
deeper assessments including claim
charting and understanding the infringing
products and how their business is affected
by the patent portfolio. The data produced
here leads to a successful marketing package
being built and taken to market.
This package contains a persuasive
business case for the buyers and a minimum
entry price. The next stage is approaching
key buyers in the go-to-market effort and
ensuring the successful recruitment of
syndicate members. Once there is a critical
mass of buyers in the syndicate, which in
principle are agreed to the price and terms
of a sale, the further recruitment of buyers
becomes simpler. The next stage is focused
on intense support of due diligence for each
buyer which is keen to assess the portfolio
for suitability.
The negotiation stage is focused more
on the terms and conditions and gaining
acceptance of a generic purchase agreement
than on pricing. The final stage is the
closing of the overall deal.
Typical questions
The following may be asked by the buyer:
• Do I pay the same as someone else that
is getting much more benefit than me?
• How do we co-own and manage the
assets in the future?
• Do the assets get sold off again?
• Am I essentially buying a licence?
• Why are we paying US$x when we
should be paying US$y?
• Why does this portfolio not deliver
what we need for the price?
Examples of syndicated patent deals
To understand syndicated patent deals
better, let’s look at examples featuring four
deals, each with a varying portfolio size (see
Table 4):
• Deal A, termed small, is a mid-
seven-figure sale price and is just not
24
0
6 months 12 months
1010
Strategic
NPE
Range
Portfolio being sold: assumptions
• 35 assets including 5 apps
• 12 claim charts, 15 IOUs
• US$2b market with 40+ participants
• Top 20 users are targeted
Syndicated deal (high) US$24m
• X2.4 standard offer
• Takes approx x2 longer to get
• US$2m contributed per buyer (12)
• US$1m legal, analysis, BD costs
• 20% commission fees
• Costs = US$6m
• Net revenue to seller = US$18m
Standard deal
• US$10m standard offer
• Takes approx 6 months to get
• 20% commission fees
• US$200k legal, analysis costs
• Net revenue to seller = US$7.8m 12
16
24
Offerprice(US$m)
Time
Figure 7c. Progression of offers – ‘standard’ v syndicated high
Offer type Offer (US$m) # Buyers Costs (US$m) Net revenues
(US$m)
Time taken
(months)
Net revenue over
standard deal
Standard deal 10 1 2.2 7.8 6 0
Syndicated low 12 6 3 9 8 x1.15
Syndicated
medium
16 8 4 12 10 x1.5
Syndicated high 24 12 6 18 12 x2.3
Table 2. Deal comparison
Portfolio being sold: assumptions
• 35 assets including 5 apps
• 12 claim charts, 15 IOUs
• US$2b market with 40+ participants
• Top 20 users are targeted
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There are things that you should and
shouldn’t do when exploring the possibility
of syndicated patent deals. There are also
events that can catch you out, so be careful!
Do:
• Find out whether your assets represent
high-quality patents that will have
relevance to multiple large companies for
a syndicated purchase.
• Explore the relevance of the size of the
portfolio, the quality of assets, the size of
the market and the number of infringing
products and revenues – and vet your
evidence of use by a third party.
• Bring together an experienced patent
MA team that has done complex
patent deals and structured MA-style
transactions in the past. If you are doing
everything in-house, then ensure that your
legal, business development, analytics
management and financial/marketing
talent is up to the task; otherwise, recruit
an experienced consultant.
• Obviously, a more favourable impression
is likely to result if the information is
presented in an organised and cohesive
fashion. Whatever sales situation is
presented, it is imperative to ensure that
someone has reviewed the materials
provided in due diligence before they are
made available to the other side.
• Create a compelling business case with
the critical reasons to buy specified
in the most relevant manner for each
target buyer. There will be a platform of
data and analytics on which a business
case and rationale will be created that is
specific to buyers and their exact needs.
• Stay focused on the buyers’ goals and
circle back regularly to ensure that they
are being met. Understanding the goals
of the buyers is critical to a timely and
successful transaction. Although the
deal team and the buyers may develop
a rapport and successful working style,
the deal may not close if the process
conducted lacks adequate attention to
the buyer’s specific goals. Ensure that
the team flags potential problem areas
in advance – for instance, if one of the
buyers is seeking to obtain protection
for a specific product and it was not in
the original package, then develop the
rationale that supports it.
Don’t:
• Assume that you have a valuable
portfolio when you may not – either get
an independent valuation or be sure that
your evidence of use analysis is vetted
by a third party.
• Assume that you can ask for more than a
certain threshold from each buyer. US$1
million may look like a small sum to you,
but many operating companies have to
get authorisation from several levels and
the higher they need to go, the better the
justification must be. The threshold can
vary for the type of asset, the number of
assets and, of course, the technology
area and the demand for it.
• Think that it will be a fast deal – this
almost never happens, and especially
not for a multiple-buyer syndicated deal.
• Think that complex negotiations will be
inexpensive. Some larger deals have cost
upwards of six figures just for the legal
and negotiation costs; this is in sharp
contrast to five-figure sums for standard
patent sales made to a single buyer.
Remember that:
• Your board or your owners could change
their mind – this can be a very expensive
change of heart!
• Buyers may agree to buy initially, but
backout during diligence because
some basic legal assessment did
not get done upfront (eg, patents not
expired, invalidity search not carried out
thoroughly enough).
• Accidental damage or invalidation
could occur if the go-to market process
is not executed carefully; declaratory
judgments (DJs) have been known to
surface in worst-case scenarios
• Expect the unexpected and deal with it.
You cannot anticipate all the curve balls
thrown at you in a syndicated deal, but
be prepared to be resilient and always
caution your board that the deal is not
done until it is done.
Dos, don’ts and ‘gotchas’ of a syndicated patent deal
Parameter Explanation Seller Buyer
Timing Time taken to close Higher Higher
Cost US$s Preparation, negotiation, closing Higher Lower
Risk Crash burn Higher Higher
Revenues Sale price Higher NA
Strategic benefit Defensive, offensive use of asset NA Depends – same, higher or lower
Complexity Higher Higher
Table 3. How a syndicated deal compares to a ‘standard’ deal
Key question for buyer:
Does the benefit/cost ratio justify the extra work, time, lower flexibility in use of assets?
Key question for seller:
Does the revenues/cost ratio justify the extra work, time, risk of sale of the assets?
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big enough even to qualify to be a
syndicated deal. The amount invested
and the return received do not justify it
for either the seller or the buyers.
• Deal B is a medium-sized deal with
Longer to closeTiming
Cheaper for buyerCost to buy
RiskierRisk of not closing
More US$s to ownerRevenue to seller
Very intricateComplexity
Figure 8. Syndicated deals characteristics about 30 assets and 15 good evidences
of use, making it a potential candidate
at the lowest end of the spectrum.
The syndicated deal sale value could
be about double that obtained from an
individual buyer.
• Deal C starts to hit the sweet spot, with
a sale revenue factor of more than two;
the size of the portfolio and the number
of infringing parties make it worthy of
attention from multiple buyers.
• Deal D, termed huge because it will hit
the low nine figures, is less common
since it has so many assets of high
quality (50 evidences of use).
The anatomy of a sale
Let us assume that an enterprise software
portfolio is being sold that contains 35 assets,
including five apps. The seller has had 12
claim charts and 15 indications of use built,
and knows that the assets are being infringed
Example Portfolio size
(assets=patent + apps)
‘Quality’ Infringing (licensing)
revenues/players
‘Standard’ deal
(US$m)
Syndicated deal
(US$m)
Small 10 3 EOUs 50/6 3 NA
Medium 30 15 EOUs 100/10 6-8 15-20
Large 80 25 EOUs 300/15 15-25 45-60
Huge 250 50 EOUs 1000/50 50-80 75-150
‘Standard’ deal Syndicated deal
Advantages Easier, simpler transaction More revenue (x1.5 to x3 more)
Closes faster
Less transaction expense
Disadvantages Lower sale price Complex negotiations
Could crash and burn
Costlier to develop materials
Costlier to negotiate with multiple buyers
‘Standard’ deal Syndicated deal
Advantages Easier, simple transaction Less expensive (could be 1/3 to 1/6 of the cost or less)
Closes faster
High control of assets as buyer is primary owner Less control after purchase (multiple owners)
Disadvantages Pay more for the privilege Less control after purchase (multiple owners)
Takes longer to close
Table 4. Example numbers for four scenarios
Table 5a. Advantages and disadvantages for seller
Table 5b. Advantages and disadvantages for buyers
• Assuming that the portfolios are focused in the web software or enterprise software technology segment.
• Based on average market prices and assuming good to great infringement for each portfolio.
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by a US$2 billion market with more than
40 participants, with the top 20 users being
targeted. Let us assume that many of the details
have been worked out such that there is high
discoverability, no known invalidity, a clean
chain of title and up-to-date maintenance fees
(see Figures 7a to 7c and Table 2).
In a standard patent transaction (see
Figure 7a), the seller may obtain varying
offers from non-practising entities (red dot)
and operating companies (green dot) over
a period of, for example, six months. The
range of offers will tend to fluctuate, but
then stabilise over a small range around the
US$10 million mark. Assuming that the cost
of legal and analysis is about $200,000 and
the commission being charged by the broker
is 20%, the net revenue to the seller will be
about US$7.8 million at closing. The broker
will absorb the analysis cost many times, so
the actual net could be a bit higher.
Now, let us look at Figure 7b, where
the same portfolio is presented as a
syndicated deal and, after about eight
months, a syndicated offer of US$12 million
is constructed with six buyers being ready
to buy. Each buyer is paying US$2 million
for the privilege. Let us also assume the
deal has cost US$600,000 in legal, analysis
and business development costs and the
commission rate remains the same. In this
case, if the seller closes the deal, the net
revenues are US$9 million, again assuming
that the seller is paying all of the costs. In
this low syndicated deal scenario, it has taken
about 25% to 30% longer to get an offer, and
the net revenues are about 15% higher.
If the seller decides to keep trying to
get more buyers interested, a syndicated
medium offer may occur at, for example, the
10-month mark. This presents a net revenue
opportunity of US$12 million (see Table 2).
However, the seller really wins when
the syndicated patent portfolio sale model
continues for around 12 months and there
are now 12 buyers able and willing to close.
Here the costs in legal fees, analysis and
business development alone exceed US$1
million and the commission – which
remains at 20%, due to many more mouths
being fed in the chain – results in net
revenues of about US$18 million. This is
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When exploring the possibility of a
syndicated patent deal a seller should
• Evaluate its portfolio and segment it to
understand what it would like to sell.
• Get the agreement of the board and
investors to sell assets and create a
sales plan, or alternatively decide to
find a broker to represent the sale.
• Analyse the assets and
exploretechnical analyses supporting
infringement with indication of use and
evidence of use materials. Understand
the extent of the potential licensing
revenue, the market penetrated, the
product revenues that infringe and
the potential timeframe for which this
technology will remain relevant.
• Does the portfolio have the right size,
broad relevance to multiple buyers,
quality of assets and reasons to buy?
• There should be no issues with chain of
title, inventor, ownership, enforceability,
invalidity or scope of protection.
• Some simple criteria to check the
status of whether assets can be sold in
a syndicate: more than 20 US patents,
50% with strong claim charts; a
valuation of US$10 million or more; no
legal issues; and multiple buyers with
a reason to buy.
For their part, buyers should:
• Look out for good deals on the market
that bring value but at a great price.
Action plan A
indeed the best result. Even though more
time and dollars were invested, this result
offers net revenues that are 2.3 times greater
than the standard sale. Table 2 shows a
comparison of all four offer scenarios.
As we have seen above, there are benefits
as well as disadvantages of doing a syndicated
patent deal. However, if the seller gets more
for extra effort and risk, and the buyer gets
more for less, and the buyer’s agent or broker
garners significantly more than a living wage,
then provided the additional work, time
and risk involved is heartily outweighed by
these positives, a well executed syndicated
deal is a true win-win-win for all concerned,
especially the shareholders.
So next time you look at your patent
portfolio, do ask yourself:“Is it good enough
and am I strong enough and willing, for a
greater reward, to withstand the oft unsettling
perfect storm of a syndicated deal?”
Fas Mosleh is senior vice president of IP
mergers and acquisitions at Kanzatec IP
Group, Los Altos, California
fmosleh@kanzatec.com