The presentation provides some background information about intellectual property as related to businesses and how the intellectual property can be used as a security interest or collateral for obtaining financing for businesses.
28. Sustaining- IP Strengths & Weaknesses
Intellectual Property (IP)
Protection is not Perfect.
Always Substitutes.
Different Markets/Industries
Require Different IP Strategies.
IP Strategies Changes Over
Time.
IP is Worth Nothing Unless a
Business (maybe not your
business) Makes Money on
What it Covers.
29. Sustaining- IP Strengths & Weaknesses
Expensive Process to Obtain &
Limited Time for Protection.
Scope of Protection can be Broad
and Immediate Once Patent is
Granted.
Never as Broad as You Initially Think.
Better Suited Where Patented
Improvement is Far Superior to
Existing Substitutes (Objective)
Pharmaceuticals, semiconductors…
30. Sustaining- IP Strengths & Weaknesses
Inexpensive to Register & Can
Almost Last Forever.
Actual Value Slowly Develops
Over Time.
Impacted by Consumer Experience
with Goods or Services.
Shows Strength in More Mature
Industries Where Consumer
Choices are More Subjective.
Restaurants, consumer goods…
31. Sustaining- IP Strengths & Weaknesses
International Protection
Immediate with Little Expense &
Lasts a Long Time.
Scope of Protection Somewhat
Limited to Exact (or nearly) exact
copies.
Can’t Protect Against Non-Copyists.
Best Suited Where the Exact
Subjective or Functional
Experience Matters.
Software, entertainment…
32. Sustaining- IP Strengths & Weaknesses
Legal Costs are Inexpensive,
but Cost of Keeping the
Secret are Not & Can Last
Almost Forever.
Trade Secrets can be
Valuable.
Most Companies Have
Some Form of Trade Secrets
Financial/pricing information,
customer lists…
33. Sustaining- Generating Revenue
Intellectual Property can
be
A Source of Revenue
A Valuable Asset
Important to Sustain a
Business
Important to Exit
Strategy
46. Intellectual Property- Due Diligence Checklist
All of the intellectual property
identified- anything missing?
Does the business still own
the intellectual property?
Has any of the intellectual
property been abandoned?
Any legal defects in the
intellectual property?
Any potential lawsuits related
to the intellectual property?
48. Software & Computer Technology
• Establish Ownership Through
Employee & Consultant
Agreements
• Do not Just Rely on Work for
Hire Doctrine
• Don’t Create Copyright
Infringement Time Bomb
• Understand Limits of
Licenses for Underlying Tools
49. Software & Computer Technology
• Register Domain Names &
Social Media Accounts
• Make Sure You Have Them
• Conduct Trademark Search
• Reduce lawsuit risk
• Register Marks
• Get Rid of Cyber squatters
• Consider Future/Large International
Markets
50. Software & Computer Technology
• Consider Industrial Design
Protection for the Look of the
Interface
• Inexpensive Way to Protect the
Decorative Aspects of Your Interface
• Consider Filing a Utility Patent
for New Technical Functional
Features
• In most countries, patent
protection is only available for
technology that improves computer
function
53. Lifesciences
• Establish Ownership
Through Employee &
Consultant Agreements
• File Patent Applications
• Why
• Market- Protect Market Share
• Revenue- Licensing Revenue
• Defense- Make Competitors Think
Twice Before Suing
• Exit Strategy- Enhance Value for Sale
54. Lifesciences
• Identify Key Secrets
• Confidentiality Agreements
• Establish Procedures
• Document Retention Policy
• Own Computers
• Why?
• Key Information about
Business Could Walk out the
Door
• Some Countries Provide Data
Exclusivity as to Trials Data
55. Lifesciences
• Conduct Search of Potential
Marks Before Adopting
• Prevent Investing Large Amounts
of Marketing Money in Mark that
Can’t Use
• Special Issues for Regulatory
Approval
• Register Internationally
• Lifesciences products have large
markets/applicability
56. Industrial/Manufacturing
• Patents, Trademarks, & Trade
Secrets are all important
Relative importance depends on industry
• Consumer facing- trademarks
• Commercial Supplier- patents
• Use a Layered IP approach
57. Develop
Technology
Keep Key
Processes a
Trade Secret
Patent
Consumer
Facing
Technology
Register
Trademarks in
Key Marks
Leverage
Trademark into
Other Products
Industrial Manufacturing Example