Free Teleseminar: Patent Auctions & Marketplaces

Date: January 10, 2006
Time: 1:00 – 2:00 pm (ET), 10:00 – 11:00 am (PT)
To Register: Please click here or visit the Events section of http://www.ropesgray.com/ by noon on
January 9, 2006

Intangible assets such as patents, know-how and intellectual property can be rapidly appreciating assets, but they are highly illiquid. Patent auctions and marketplaces offer the possibility of permitting companies to leverage and extract value from patents and technologies that are not being optimally employed. The need for speed in developing new products and services means that acquiring patents and attendant know-how can be the key to market leadership. On the other hand, these platforms may also create new opportunities for "patent trolls" looking for new litigation and stick licensing opportunities. The founders of two groundbreaking enterprises, yet2.com and Ocean Tomo, offer their thoughts on the potential of patent auctions.