Module 6 - Best Practice IP Management

There is an intrinsic relationship between innovation and invention, and between invention and intellectual property [IP]. There is also an intrinsic relationship between the processes of product development management and intellectual property management. This module will explore those continuums, with a focus on how to extract and make visible the IP of the company in a way that increases the market perception and valuation of the company.

Practical approaches for identifying IP, inventorying IP, and valuing IP will be illustrated in a way that your company's "IP Story" can be documented and communicated. IP Stories are a best practice and have significantly increased the valuation of numerous corporations. An IP Story is a presentation that allows you to articulate to Wall Street how your IP:

• Links Directly to your business goals.
• Turns your ideas into valuable, marketable products.
• Allows you to "own" your selected market space.
• Secures revenue opportunities, by your licensing and selling products.
• Mitigates litigation and/or competitive risks.
• Enhances the company as an investment opportunity.

Once the IP Story is in place, management's next challenge is to identify the "strategic invention" opportunities, either internally or through open innovation, to strengthen the IP Story. A gap analysis results providing executives and R&D leaders with focused priorities for the next three to four years to fill the gaps.

The IP Story includes all categories of IP from private Trade Secrets to In/Out Licensing to publically registered Copyrights, Trademarks, Provisionals, and Patents.

The goal of this module is to teach participants a systematic approach to manage the collective intellectual assets of their corporations in a way that the market can appreciate and recognize the real true value of a company's intellectual assets.