IP Strategy sits at the crossroads of technology, law, and business. With a focus on competitive advantage, IP Strategy can be aligned with Business Strategy to create and exploit powerful positioning and meaningful differentiation within a competitive landscape.
Every once in a while, a new technology, an old problem, and a big idea turn into an innovation.
– Dean Kamen
Predicting what will Change Due to COVID-19
This three-part post says the following things will change due after the pandemic:
- Patent commercialization will be impacted by limited partnership opportunities due to focus on COVID, leaving companies to delay filings and keep more information secret
- Trademark filings will be more focused on key marks and limited scope of goods/services
- Multi-party inventions will increase due to collaborations, while the prevalence of work-from-home policies will blur IP ownership
Centralizing your Global Trademark Management
Frank Liu and Adam Zhu from Tiantai Law Firm argue for centralized management of global trademark portfolios to avoid ownership, budgeting, and decision-making disparities.
Webinar on Domain Name Strategies (Free Registration Link)
On 19 May 2020 World Trademark Review presents a discussion on how COVID-19 has affected domain name strategies and how IP professionals can play a critical role in driving revenues and customer loyalty.
Webinar on IP Ownership under Government Contracts (Free Registration Link)
On 12 May 2020 Intellectual Strategies is hosting David Fonda to provide expertise and information about government contracts. Participants will learn and discuss how to prevent issues with title and ownership and, importantly, address issues that have already occurred.
Does your Strategy account for the Culture Shift toward Community Health?
John Quelch (dean of the University of Miami Patti and Allan Herbert Business School) and Leila Roumani (program manager at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) argue that companies should incorporate “community health” into their business strategies, with more attention to the workers and employees who are behind the larger corporate movements (whether implementing or driving these movements).
Original IP in the Gaming Industry, and Moving from a Work-for-Hire Model
Bake ‘n’ Switch, a dough baking video game, illustrates a potential shift from a co-development strategy toward creating original IP.
(Here’s a broader overview of video games and IP: https://www.wipo.int/wipo_magazine/en/2014/02/article_0002.html)
Simon Tsi, Chenyan Wu and Tracy Lin of Chang Tsi review how amendments could impact divisional practice, deferred examination, examination of applications relating to algorithms and business methods, and applicants’ telecommunications with examiners.
Business Incubators that Foster Innovation Need to Innovate, too!
Coventure helps “incubate” companies in Aspen, CO. In the face of the pandemic, they have to rely on innovation, too, in the way they provide assistance, including:
- Finding alternative revenue strategies
- Increasing operational efficiencies
- Accessing new funding sources
- Retaining talent and saving jobs
- Seeking partnerships in state and local governments
Intellectual Strategies gathers stories, information, and events of interest to the Intellectual Property (IP) Strategy community. To make additions to future weekly roundup posts, contact Jeff Holman.
Jeff Holman draws from a broad background that spans law, engineering, and business. He is driven to deploy strategic business initiatives that create enterprise value and establish operational efficiencies. Mr. Holman earned his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and Juris Doctor (JD) from the University of Utah and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from Brigham Young University. He has practiced patent and intellectual property law in Silicon Valley, built and managed a law firm focused on IP transactions, helped “Shark Tank” inventors with legal and business strategy, and served as general counsel for the leading innovator for consumer electronics waterproofing technology–where he managed engagements with two Fortune 10 customers, provided key legal oversight related to $170 million in equity and debt funding, and oversees global IP strategy. Additionally, Mr. Holman is working with a development team at Intellectual Strategies to launch the first SAAS platform dedicated to IP strategy.