When is IP StratOps needed?
IP StratOps teams are typically deployed when pursuing new business plays – when financial upsides and risks are substantial.
IP StratOps teams are typically found in dynamic and fast-moving business environments where the playing field and rules are uncertain and changing. IP StratOps capabilities are often needed for digital-enabled business models and data-driven services. When digital transforms the tech stack and changes competitive landscape dynamics, situations occur where IP and data can determine financial outcomes. Situations that require capabilities outside traditional IP roles and outside patent departments’ normal modus operandi.
IP StratOps teams are not an equivalent to, or a replacement for, traditional patent organizations. Their mission is not to draft and maintain patent portfolios. Their mission is to be a co-owner and co-creator of business value.
The following situations are strong indicators of the need for an IP StratOps capability:
- Your ability to deliver will rely on access to the right data at the right time and of the right quality; which makes it vital to control how you – and others – can securely access, share and use different data sets.
- You cannot build the business on your own and will need to acquire, partner or license to secure access to the technology and capabilities required.
- Differentiation will rely on critical technologies, which may be patented by others and therefore are a business risk or may provide you with an opportunity to strengthen your competitive advantage.
- Your software stack will include open-source software, which must be managed to reap the benefits of openly available and tested code, while controlling and not diluting key proprietary software functionalities.
