Are You Maximizing the Value of Your IP Portfolio?

Companies can ill-afford to be without a sound patent strategy — one that offers defensive value, offensive value, and marketing value.

A strategic and comprehensive worldwide patent portfolio operates as a defensive weapon against litigation. Competitors are dissuaded because they know you can easily file counterclaims or cross-license. 

This same portfolio also operates as an offensive weapon by creating a barrier to entry. Your patents can be asserted against competitors and others, and be monetized through licensing.

A patent portfolio can also provide marketing value by protecting your innovations for your company and investors, and giving your company credibility as a technical innovator. If you achieve category leadership, you can shape industry decisions and influence standardization.

Portfolio Management Services

  • Review patent portfolio and provide an effective action report
  • Recommend additional patent filings to cover unclaimed subject matter or competitor inventions
  • Review in-licensed patents for value and consistency with overall portfolio; “trim the fat”

Why Emerging Companies Need a Patent Strategy

​If you are an emerging company, you may believe a patent strategy unnecessary. But we have encountered countless horror stories of startups that are defeated before they began — for example, by getting involved in expensive litigation or seeing competitors launch products that could have easily been prevented by earlier patents.

We suggest you take the time, ideally early in your company’s development, to perform a patent assessment of protectable ideas and develop a solid patent strategy. When you do, you’ll determine if in-licensing or cross-licensing makes sense, particularly as a tool to neutralize “blocking” patents.  And don’t overlook international protection, based on determining which countries are viable markets for your products.

Why Larger Companies Need a Portfolio Review

If you are a larger company, with a sizeable number of patents, your portfolio may be suffering from neglect or be wasting resources.  Consider: 

  • When was the last time you conducted a comprehensive review and rebalanced your portfolio?
  • Have you recently looked for opportunities to license or sell your technology to others?
  • If you have in-licensed patents, when did you last review their value? 
  • When was the last time you looked for ways to establish category leadership by filing additional patents? 
  • Is your portfolio too expensive and/or redundant?
  • Do parts of your patent portfolio cover business that is no longer of value to your company?

If you would like to learn more