Over the past several decades, technology-driven industries have produced new intellectual property (IP) at a prodigious rate. In addition to IP focused on product technologies, other valuable IP is available, including user interfaces, formulas and algorithms, industrial designs, market research, pricing strategies, collateral material, warranty policies, customer lists and so forth. All of these are important components of a company's IP portfolio.

Acquiring the right intellectual property can be a challenging, time consuming process. Unless the details are fully set out in a patent, the owner of intellectual property may understandably be reluctant to disclose the full nature of its IP to another party, prior to having a firm agreement in place. At the same time, the company interested in acquiring use of another's IP may be hesitant to make a commitment prior to knowing the real nature of the IP relative to their needs, potentially a Catch-22 situation.

HEI consultants perform the role of intermediary between potential partner companies, working under non-disclosure agreements (NDA) with each party. We first determine in detail, the needs of the client wishing to acquire the IP. Then, we review and evaluate the IP available from other companies, together with the related business aspects including costs and royalties. We then report to our client, providing recommendations on the suitability and feasibility of acquiring the IP.

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