What might your competitors know about the market that you don’t? What do they know about you or your future product releases?

Today’s competitive market requires organizations to stay at least one move ahead of their competition.  It’s critical that you know your competition and market, that you know how to spot emerging trends, and know how to prioritize R&D investments.  IP information can provide competitive intelligence years before companies publicly announce new products. In fact, a patent makes a great proxy for a description of an organization’s strategic plan.  And by combining and correlating the IP data with litigation, financial, product, and technology data, you can get a more complete view of the competition and market landscape, enabling you to discover what you need to know about competitors, emerging technology, risks, and opportunities.

Innography can do all this for an organization. Perhaps your competition is already using Innography!  If they are and you’re not, you’re possibly one move behind them.

Innography is hosting a webinar “The Essential Guide to Staying Ahead of the Competition” which will cover competitive tactics and best practices for staying ahead of the competition such as, how to identify competitors in your space, emerging trends, competitive threats, litigation risks, your strengths/weaknesses, and how the technology landscape is changing.  Click here to register for the webinar now.

During this past week, Innography held its annual user conference.  It is always energizing to hear about the real world challenges that our customers solve using Innography software and services.  The deals concluded, the risks avoided, and the millions of dollars saved or made emphasize the importance of intellectual property to corporate results.

Perhaps the most significant trend observed though, is how IP strategy has spread across the organization. Gone are the days when a good IP strategy meant a filing incentive for inventors or active management of portfolio renewals.

Today’s progressive companies think of IP across their value chain.  IP informs their competitive and market analysis. They use IP to help plan their development efforts.  They think about the IP implications of acquisitions.  They have a proactive strategy for creating additional revenue streams from their existing IP.  Plus, IP considerations are an integral part of their risk mitigation efforts.

Intellectual property has become far more than just a legal consideration.  It is now a key component of business strategies and an important contributor to business results.  Learn more at www.innography.com.

World IP Day, sponsored by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) takes place on April 26th. The day is celebrated worldwide and was started as a way to promote discussion of the role of intellectual property in encouraging innovation and creativity.  World IP Day offers an opportunity for inventors to join with others around the globe to discuss and demonstrate how IP works to contribute to and drive innovation in our world.  This year’s theme focuses on Creativity: The Next Generation.

Even a cursory examination of innovation trends shows that fresh ideas are coming from new and different places.  Start-ups are quickly changing the way the world communicates and works together.  Patent filings are rapidly growing in a wider range of geographies than ever before.  Innovators are bringing together ideas from an expanding array of disciplines.  What will the next generation of innovators bring to our swiftly changing world of patents? How can organizations stay competitive and stay ahead of the latest emerging trends in their field?  Is it possible to see what’s beyond the horizon?

The day also brings to mind the importance of looking past the horizon for the next innovation.  Forward thinking companies no longer expect to find the next generation of thinkers and ideas solely within their established networks.  Many now turn to Innography’s solutions to provide IP competitive intelligence and insight even before new products are announced.  Using Innography’s unique visualizations, innovators can view competitive landscapes, find emerging R&D trends, identify up-and-coming competitors in related technology spaces, and discover talented new inventors and opportunities.  This is possible because of Innography’s own innovative integration technology which correlates product, financial, technology standard and litigation information.

The world’s IP system today fosters the innovation that will shape the lives of generations to come. The possibilities are limitless and only bound by our imaginations.  What will your contribution be? Share with us what you’ll be doing for World IP Day.

Yesterday, Microsoft unveiled its Patent Tracker tool, as a sign of “responsible intellectual property management.” In the midst of today’s turbulent patent landscape and wars being waged from all directions, we commend Microsoft on its commitment to a healthy IP ecosystem.

According to Microsoft Executive VP and General Counsel Brad Smith, “We need greater transparency. The PTO is considering requirements for greater transparency. But I don’t think we need to wait. I think those of us in the industry can step forward. That’s why we as a company are announcing a pledge for transparency, and we’re announcing that by the first of April we will publish on the web all the information that anyone needs to identify all of the patents for which Microsoft is the owner and real party of interest.”

So being that the USPTO database is accessible and searchable by the general public, this might not seem like a big deal, however, as one of our clients poignantly pointed out, “Just because something is public information, does not mean it’s public knowledge.”

Not only is the USPTO database difficult to navigate, but not all of Microsoft’s patents are listed directly under Microsoft. There are several options, such as Microsoft Corp., Microsoft Corporation, or any other variation of the parent company name. Additionally, some of its patents may be listed under individual inventors. Innography has an entire team devoted to scrubbing this type of data to make sure your results in Innography are complete. Some companies count on this complexity to contribute to their secrecy. So the idea that Microsoft is taking information that usually involves strategic search and some elbow grease, and wrapping it up in a nice package for anyone who’s interested is a bold move, indeed.

The Patent tracker is designed to address three main problems facing IP today:

• Knowing who actually owns or controls a patent
• Litigation abuse by non-practicing entities or patent trolls
• Poor patent quality

There is no doubt that the current US Patent System needs some work, but we like what we see in Microsoft’s commitment to show its cards and play fair. Other companies that have also expressed willingness to work within the patent system are Google and Twitter. Although they’re not eager to be as open as Microsoft, they have both made good faith pledges to not sue for infringement unless they are first attacked.

Regardless of strategy, the message from these tech giants is loud and clear. Less litigation and more innovation. We look forward to seeing what’s to come.

What do you think of Microsoft’s patent tracker tool?

If you own intellectual property, licensing should be a core part of your business strategy. We help enterprise customers map out lucrative licensing strategies every day, and although we have a two part webinar series and a white paper focused on starting a licensing program, we wanted to take the time to list out the top five priorities you should focus on when building your licensing strategy.

1.    Have a plan.
Congratulations! You’ve been granted a patent for your idea. Now what? Protecting your assets is one thing, but capitalizing on them is another. Identifying clear objectives when it comes to licensing is crucial to your success. Are you planning to use licensing offensively to monetize your assets? Or maybe even as a tool to enter into a new market. Regardless of your plan, be sure you have a specific focus and goals. This will help you accurately measure success and easily make adjustments when necessary.

2.    Look outside the box and into adjacent markets.
There will always be companies with similar technologies in your space that are easy licensing targets. But don’t stop there. In your search for potential partners, be sure and look into adjacent markets, where companies could be using your technology for different purposes. This will allow you to expand your portfolio and get the most bang for your IP buck.

3.    Designate a specialized team.
Intellectual property should not be an afterthought. In fact, a key driver in your licensing strategy success is designating appropriate resources to your cause, including a specialized licensing team. The makeup of this team may vary slightly depending upon your internal hierarchy, but licensing teams are typically made up of several cross functioning team members including an executive sponsor, business development, marketing, R&D, legal, financial and sales.

4.    Don’t do too much at once.
You don’t want to just license any patent. This should be a well vetted process to determine which IP in your portfolio has  the most reach and is the most attractive for your candidates. Starting with just 1 to 2 key patents and developing a strong licensing strategy around them can be a good spring board into a full-fledged licensing business center down the line. Once you can demonstrate viability, it will be easier for you to get the executive buy in necessary to expand your program.

5.    Know your value.
In your quest to establish a successful licensing program, you may come across companies that are larger and more versed than you are in the area. Do not allow these entities to bully you, no matter what your size. Consult with an IP attorney and use Innography to establish a tangible market value for your IP and stick to it.

Establishing a licensing program is no easy task, and we’re here to provide the tools and guidance you need to ensure success. Along with these 5 tips, be sure and view our two part webinar series, “License to Drive” for more details about how to establish a successful program. Happy Licensing!