IvyConnect Engagement - Protecting Your Innovation using Intellectual Property Rights

Connect Series - Masterclass on Protecting Your Innovation using Intellectual Property Rights with IIMK LIVE

IvyCamp in collaboration with IIMK LIVE hosted a masterclass led by Mr. Arjun Bala, Managing Partner and Patent Agent at Metayage and an Alumnus of IIT Bombay. The session guided early-stage entrepreneurs, researchers, professors, and students who are developing innovative projects on how to protect their innovation using intellectual property rights.

About the Speaker

Arjun Bala is a patent attorney and a Certified Patent Valuation Analyst (CPVA) with 20 years of experience in patent prosecution. He has worked as head of India Operations for a US patent law firm headquartered in California, closely working with Silicon Valley start-ups, VCs, and tech MNCs prior to founding Metayage in 2006. At Metayage, Arjun and his team have got over 160 US patents and over 220 Indian patents granted for their clients at a success rate of over 90%. Arjun is a strategic IP partner for leading incubators such as IIIT-Hyderabad's CIE and IIT Bombay's SINE. He has also worked as patent counsel for an incubator in Seattle called Kernel Labs. Arjun has developed International patent portfolios for many deep tech startups like Niramai, Saankhya Labs, and Miko.ai. Arjun is also a singer, blogger, and an inventor, with a granted Indian patent for a presentation delivery app.

Key Takeaways

Wealth Definition: Wealth is the product of value created from innovation and leverage gained from owning that innovation.

Design Registration: Prioritize design registration before public disclosure to protect the appearance of an article, including shape, configuration, and ornamentation.

IP Lifecycle: Comprises stages of:
- R&D optimization
- IP audit
- Patent prosecution
- Patent licensing
  - Effective monetization planning should begin early.

Patentability: Originality and inventiveness are crucial, enabling acquisition or licensing by addressing challenges that major corporations invest in.

Benefits of Patent Filing:
- Serves as evidence of innovation within a company.
- Motivates employees to engage in innovative practices.
- Provides confidence and security when presenting to investors.

Protective Perspective: View patent filing as a means to safeguard innovations rather than as a tool for litigation.

Research Resources: Utilize online patent databases to research and understand differences in copyright protection across countries, particularly in sectors like health and software architecture.