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Many companies may not have a substantial patent portfolio, but have developed significant technology, software and systems to address business challenges similarly faced by other companies in the marketplace. Further, they are market leading, large cap companies with a significant employee base. These technologies, software and systems can be packaged and effectively licensed to either companies within the client's industry or outside of it. Also captured within the meaning of opportunistic-based opportunities are those situations where technologies, software or systems are packaged (either together with a patent portfolio or apart) and spun off in a new venture financed and managed by third parties. One of the most critical steps in achieving success with opportunistic-based licensing is identifying the opportunities. Most companies do not recognize the technologies and methods that might be best suited for licensing. Therefore, LAVA Group spends a significant amount of time "mining" for these opportunities, through employee intellectual asset training, information sessions at weekly staff meetings and other forms of inter-company communications.
Opportunistic-based licensing can be accomplished either directly (a direct license with the company desirous of the technology) or through leveraged licensing. Leveraged licensing involves licensing intellectual assets/technology to companies that license similar technologies to an existing customer base. In this instance, the licensee would be allowed to sub-license the intellectual assets to its customer base. This approach greatly minimizes business development costs and targets a highly vertical audience. Furthermore, customer support is handled by our licensing partners, thereby avoiding a potentially difficult resource issue.
Certain intellectual assets may serve as an appropriate basis for a spin-off venture. In these instances, we will identify appropriate spin-off opportunities, engage and present to appropriate venture capital firms for funding, negotiate the transactions, manage relationships on forward-going basis, and provide board/oversight representation (on behalf of our clients) for spin-off opportunities. In addition, significant value can be realized through making charitable donations of certain assets to achieve tax benefits. LAVA Group searches out opportunities to leverage charitable donations and navigates our clients through process.
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