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Some startups have filed 300 patents in every country in the world and still ended up in bankruptcy court, unable to sell a single one. Efrat Kasznik, president of Foresight Valuation Group and an IP management instructor at Stanford Business School, returns to Understanding IP Matters to explain why patent counts alone no longer impress sophisticated investors, and what does. Bruce Berman talks with Kasznik about the exit bottleneck trapping roughly 1,300 unicorns, why software companies are scrambling to rebrand themselves as AI companies, how trade secrets get valued when a company has never bothered to inventory them, and why IP keeps getting buried inside goodwill on corporate balance sheets. The strongest idea: patents, trade secrets and data are only as valuable as the business model and the people built around them.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• A patent portfolio only has value if it is tied to a real product and a viable business model.
• Investors are currently concentrating roughly 70 percent of funding into AI, cybersecurity, deep tech and defense.
• SaaS companies face a difficult shift from fixed subscription pricing to usage based AI pricing, and investors can tell the difference.
• Data itself is hard to protect through patents or copyright, so companies lean on contracts and trade secret law instead.
• Many companies only discover what trade secrets they actually have once litigation forces them to make a list.
• IP backed lending is becoming a real option for companies trying to stay private longer without raising new equity.
• A company's complementary assets, like distribution and infrastructure, often explain more of a deal's value than the IP itself.
• Acquired intellectual property shows up on a buyer's balance sheet, but internally developed IP never does.
• Investors respond more to comparable deal pricing than to general claims about a company's IP strength.

CONNECT & SUBSCRIBE
Learn more about CIPU: understandingip.org
Connect with Efrat Kasznik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekasznik/

00:00 Introducing Efrat Kasznik
01:10 Which sectors investors see as hot right now
03:10 Do patents still matter for startup valuation
04:43 Why data is hard to protect through IP
06:48 What investors look for in an exit
09:36 How IP helps bridge the exit bottleneck
13:12 AI investment and the pressure to rebrand
17:38 Agentic AI patents and coming litigation
18:56 How AI is reshaping law firm billing
21:55 Is IP more important for startups today
23:08 Valuing trade secrets that were never catalogued
29:21 Why some unicorns over patent and still fail
33:09 AI adoption gaps between the US and China
35:06 Why IP still gets buried inside goodwill
39:22 What really shapes investor perception of IP

Support the show

Understanding IP Matters is brought to you by the nonprofit Center for Intellectual Property Understanding (CIPU) with generous support from its partners and sponsors. The podcast provides leading innovators and experts the space to share their IP stories.

Subscribe on your platform of choice or visit understandingip.org.
To reach us: explore@understandingip.org

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In Spider-Man 2002, newspaper editor J. Jonah Jameson shouts an iconic line: "Run down to the patent office, copyright the name "Green Goblin." I want a quarter every time someone says it." But here's the thing... that's not how copyrights work. Even smart, engaged people mix up basic IP concepts, and that confusion has real economic consequences.

Corey Salsberg, Vice President and Global Head of IP Affairs at Novartis, joins Bruce Berman to unpack why intellectual property, despite driving over 44 percent of American GDP and a third of the US workforce, remains poorly understood by the public and even most members of Congress. Salsberg traces the disconnect to a lack of education, a communication problem in a soundbite culture, and a tendency to see patents as barricades rather than bridges. He also digs into what AI means for inventorship, why the pharmaceutical patent cliff threatens future medicines, and why human connection still matters in a world of AI generated content. The strongest idea: we already have a great IP story, we just need to tell it better.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Roughly one third of the American workforce is tied up in IP driven industries, and IP is linked to over 44 percent of US GDP.
• Most people, including the large majority of members of Congress, receive little to no education about how patents and copyrights actually work.
• The US patent system is written into the Constitution and was the third act passed by the very first Congress.
• Only a human being can currently be recognized as an inventor because inventorship requires recognizing and appreciating the significance of what was created, something AI cannot do on its own.
• Roughly 90 percent of drug candidates that are scientifically validated still fail in clinical trials, and only 20 to 30 percent of approved medicines ever turn a profit.
• Developing a new medicine can cost between two and five billion dollars, which is why patent protection is needed to offset the financial risk of R&D.
• A pharmaceutical patent cliff between 2025 and 2030 threatens significant revenue that funds future drug development.
• Framing patents as an economic bridge rather than a barricade can help build common ground with people who hold anti-IP views.
• Congress passed the Bayh-Dole Act, created the Federal Circuit, and passed the Hatch-Waxman Act in the early 1980s specifically to help the US regain global leadership in innovation.
• Everyday products, from Levi's jeans to Eddie Van Halen's guitar equipment, carry an IP story that can make patents and copyrights relatable to non-lawyers.

CONNECT & SUBSCRIBE
Learn more about CIPU: understandingip.org
Connect with Corey Salsberg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corey-salsberg/

00:00 Why IP stories go untold
00:46 Introducing Corey Salsberg
01:28 Where the IP disconnect begins
02:16 The historical roots of the patent system
03:19 One third of US jobs tied to IP
04:12 The education gap, even in law school
05:09 The Spider-Man copyright joke
05:42 IP's communication and attention span problem
07:44 Mark Twain's crab quote on patents
08:33 Politicians and the declining IP voice
09:19 IP through four industrial revolutions
10:22 The surprisingly recent age of modern medicine
12:02 What is and isn't patentable
13:29 The Chakrabarty decision and modern biotech
14:28 Gene patents and the ACLU case
15:17 AI, inventorship, and who owns a patent
17:44 Why AI cannot legally be an inventor
19:11 Patents as a bridge, not a barricade
21:18 Drug pricing is not an IP issue
22:35 The multi-billion dollar cost of a new medicine
23:47 Aspirin, antibiotics, and early pharma patents
24:19 Why most medicines never become profitable
25:38 AI, R&D efficiency, and future drug possibilities
27:28 Federal research cuts and the academia gap
29:41 Private funding and its risks for science
30:12 Why human connection still matters
32:09 Corey's father and his path into patent law
34:10 Do C-suites really understand IP?
36:17 IP champions among industry CEOs
38:03 What's happening with IP reform in Congress
40:38 How the US became a pharma innovation leader
43:19 Teaching IP as part of general education
45:33 The story behind Levi's rivets and jeans
46:29 Eddie Van Halen's guitar patents
48:04 AI is turning everyone into an IP creator
49:08 Taylor Swift, the NFL, and IP advocacy
49:30 Dolly Parton's rights of publicity
50:02 Closing thoughts and what's next

Support the show

Understanding IP Matters is brought to you by the nonprofit Center for Intellectual Property Understanding (CIPU) with generous support from its partners and sponsors. The podcast provides leading innovators and experts the space to share their IP stories.

Subscribe on your platform of choice or visit understandingip.org.
To reach us: explore@understandingip.org

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America built its patent office before it had paved roads in its own capital, and that decision still shapes how invention works today.

Bruce Berman is joined by Eric Hintz, an invention historian at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History, for a conversation that traces the roots of the U.S. patent system back to the Constitutional Convention and forward through the rise of corporate research labs. Hintz explains why the framers designed a patent system meant to be accessible to anyone, how independent inventors and corporations have alternated the upper hand for over a century, and how figures like Robert Kearns and Samuel Rubin illustrate both the promise and the limits of protecting an invention as an individual.

The conversation matters well beyond patent attorneys. It touches on how innovation actually gets funded, commercialized, and credited, and why the health of the independent inventor matters to entrepreneurs, investors, and anyone who cares about where the next big idea will come from.

Understanding IP Matters is produced by the Center for Intellectual Property Understanding (CIPU). Subscribe on your platform of choice or visit understandingip.org.

Learn more about CIPU: understandingip.org
Eric Hintz / Smithsonian National Museum of American History: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-s-hintz-phd/

REFERENCES & LINKS

• American Independent Inventors in an Era of Corporate R&D by Eric Hintz
• Men of Progress, 1862 painting by Christian Schussele, National Portrait Gallery
• Zorina Khan, economic historian at Bowdoin College
• Kara Swanson, Northeastern University School of Law, research on the invention of Ned
• Robert Kearns and the intermittent windshield wiper story
• National Museum of American History patent model collection

00:00 Introduction
00:18 Meet Eric Hintz of the Smithsonian
01:05 The Constitution's patent and copyright clause
02:11 How European monarchies handled patents
03:30 America's democratic, egalitarian patent system
04:19 The pendulum between inventors and corporations
05:53 The rise of corporations in the 1880s
07:01 Robert Kearns and the windshield wiper case
07:50 The America Invents Act of 2011
09:02 From garages to global companies
10:16 Three ways independent inventors made money
12:42 Samuel Rubin and the Duracell partnership
17:00 The old Patent Office building in Washington
19:27 Patent models at the Smithsonian collection
20:56 The Men of Progress painting
23:36 The story of Ned, an enslaved inventor
26:07 How corporate R&D marketed against inventors
28:41 Why predatory patent practices carry little stigma
31:48 Why innovation cannot be kept down
36:03 Closing thoughts on America's inventors

Support the show

Understanding IP Matters is brought to you by the nonprofit Center for Intellectual Property Understanding (CIPU) with generous support from its partners and sponsors. The podcast provides leading innovators and experts the space to share their IP stories.

Subscribe on your platform of choice or visit understandingip.org.
To reach us: explore@understandingip.org

Send us Fan Mail

Character licensing is a $370 billion global industry — and most people have never heard of it. Bruce Berman sits down with David Born, CEO of Born Licensing and one of the world's leading experts in character and IP licensing for advertising. From placing Buddy the Elf in a UK supermarket ad to helping Geico license Angry Birds, David breaks down how brands use intellectual property to create instant emotional recognition in marketing campaigns. He explains how licensing deals are structured and valued, how licensors protect their brands from overexposure, and why smaller or emerging characters can actually offer better ROI than the hottest properties. David also shares how he built Born Licensing into one of the fastest-growing companies in Europe without any formal legal training — and why he thinks licensing is the most underrated business skill in the world.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Character licensing is a $370 billion global industry that most consumers interact with daily without realizing it.
• Brands license IP in advertising through multiple methods — placing characters in ads, using existing footage, recreating iconic scenes, or rotoscoping characters from original films.
• Licensing fees are determined by scope: territory, term, media channels, and usage type all factor into the final value of a deal.
• Top-tier licensors like Disney and Marvel are extremely selective about who they work with — protecting brand equity is a higher priority than volume of deals.
• Lesser-known or dormant characters can offer better commercial terms and faster approval processes, making them attractive for companies new to licensing.
• David Born built Born Licensing into an FT 1000 fastest-growing European company by filling a gap no one else was serving: helping ad agencies navigate IP licensing.
• Consumers will pay more for licensed products — the brand association adds perceived premium value that can offset royalty costs.
• AI presents both opportunities and challenges for the licensing world, with major licensors still uncertain about how to embrace it without compromising IP protection.
• Without formal legal training, David relies on deep industry experience, strong licensor relationships, and his lawyer sister for more complex legal questions.
• The best measure of a successful licensing campaign is authentic fan response — when fans love seeing their character used well, it's a win for everyone.

Learn more about CIPU: understandingip.org
Born Licensing: bornlicensing.com
Born to License Podcast: Search "Born to License" on your podcast app

Understanding IP Matters is produced by the Center for Intellectual Property Understanding (CIPU). Subscribe on your platform of choice or visit understandingip.org.

00:00 - Introduction & guest welcome
02:13 - How character licensing entered David's life
04:33 - Who listens to Understanding IP Matters
05:15 - Types of IP licensing in advertising
07:05 - How licensing deals are valued
08:35 - Geico x Angry Birds case study
09:08 - Measuring campaign success
11:07 - Born Licensing's two business divisions
12:39 - Major vs. lesser-known characters
15:22 - Brand equity and saying no to deals
17:29 - Operating without a legal background
19:15 - Compensation and equity structures
20:11 - FT 1000 fastest-growing company recognition
21:39 - Filtering opportunities for licensors
22:59 - Born to License podcast
24:44 - Lessons for tech and content licensing
25:29 - The cost and value of licensing
27:40 - AI and the future of character licensing
31:31 - Content authenticity and IP tracking
32:32 - David's first awareness of IP
33:50 - Final thoughts for listeners

Support the show

Understanding IP Matters is brought to you by the nonprofit Center for Intellectual Property Understanding (CIPU) with generous support from its partners and sponsors. The podcast provides leading innovators and experts the space to share their IP stories.

Subscribe on your platform of choice or visit understandingip.org.
To reach us: explore@understandingip.org

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Protecting intellectual property at a university should come before sharing it

Ian McClure, Vice President of Research and Innovation at the University of Kentucky, makes the case that intellectual property isn't a barrier to innovation — it's the scaffolding that makes innovation possible. In a wide-ranging conversation with host Bruce Berman, Ian discusses how UK is leading a $200 million AI transformation strategy, why spinning out startups generates 50% more local economic impact than publishing alone, and how universities must evolve their promotion and tenure systems to truly reward innovation.

Drawing on his background in M&A law, IP transactions, and his tenure as president of the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM), Ian brings a rare combination of legal, commercial, and academic expertise to every topic — from the ethics of AI adoption to the practical challenge of getting researchers to file a provisional patent before they publish.

Key Takeaways

• Spinning out a startup from university research generates 50% more local economic impact than publishing alone without IP protection.
• The value of intellectual property exists if — and only to the extent — it is enforceable. Willingness to enforce matters as much as the scope of the patent.
• Universities are uniquely positioned to study AI adoption because they host every level of sophistication, from first-generation students to decades-experienced AI researchers.
• UK's Commonwealth AI Transdisciplinary Strategy (CATS AI) is a $200 million, three-to-five-year holistic framework for preparing an entire institution for the AI era.
• Startup IP strategy is central to tech transfer: IP protection attracts outside capital, creates jobs, and keeps economic benefits local.
• The promotion and tenure system at most universities still biases researchers toward publication over patenting — and changing those incentives is a major needle-mover.
• AI is accelerating the pace of drug discovery and research, compressing timelines that once took years into months.
• IP is the necessary governance layer that enables responsible AI innovation without stifling it the way premature over-regulation might.
• Universities must balance curiosity-driven basic research with use-inspired research that responds to state and industry needs.
• Fear of AI is valid and must be acknowledged — but institutions need structured, flexible frameworks to help every stakeholder move forward.

00:00 Introduction & opening quote
02:06 Ian's role at University of Kentucky
02:34 Challenges of AI adoption at a research university
05:30 The CATS AI strategy: origins and scope
08:00 How UK measures success across the institution
11:54 Addressing fear and resistance around AI
13:44 IP challenges at the intersection of AI and research
17:43 Licensing AI tools and IP as innovation scaffolding
21:42 UK's Microsoft Copilot partnership explained
22:09 Choosing an enterprise AI partner
25:38 Key concerns for tech transfer executives today
28:27 The case for university spin-outs
31:15 Why researchers resist filing patents before publishing
32:26 Reforming promotion and tenure to reward innovation
35:47 Enforceability: the mantra Ian teaches in law school
38:16 Balancing basic research with industry-responsive research
41:25 Ian's first encounter with IP: a merger that fell apart
43:31 Final thoughts: IP, AI, and embracing the transformation era

Support the show

Understanding IP Matters is brought to you by the nonprofit Center for Intellectual Property Understanding (CIPU) with generous support from its partners and sponsors. The podcast provides leading innovators and experts the space to share their IP stories.

Subscribe on your platform of choice or visit understandingip.org.
To reach us: explore@understandingip.org

Send us Fan Mail

Danny Marti has navigated IP from the Obama White House to the boardrooms of some of the world's most powerful companies. As President Obama's intellectual property enforcement coordinator — the so-called "IP czar" — Danny helped shape a whole-of-government approach to IP strategy. Today, as Head of Public Affairs and Global Policy at Tencent, he oversees IP protection for the world's largest trademark filer and one of the top holders of AI patents globally.

This conversation covers Tencent's remarkable transformation of music piracy in China, how the company built Weixin's crowdsourced IP enforcement platform, and why understanding the problem before reaching for a solution is the most underrated skill in IP — or any other field.

Key Takeaways:

• Tencent is the world's largest trademark filer, operating a truly global portfolio across dozens of countries and product categories.
• China's music piracy rate dropped from roughly 97% to 2-3% in under a decade, driven largely by Tencent's investment in licensed streaming and aggressive enforcement.
• The Weixin Brand Protection Platform (Weishen) allows any user — not just rights holders — to report IP infringement, crowdsourcing enforcement at scale.
• Danny's time as IP czar centered on a whole-of-government IP strategy, coordinating more than a dozen departments, offices, and agencies.
• Tencent holds among the largest portfolios of AI patents of any company globally and is shifting focus toward agentic AI beyond generative models.
• Global video game development requires deep localization — culture, color, humor, and gameplay mechanics all vary significantly by region.
• IP laws have historically proven resilient in adapting to new technologies, but the speed and scale of AI may test that resilience in new ways.
• Existing copyright and trademark frameworks still apply meaningfully in the AI era; new regulation may be needed but isn't inevitable.
• Danny's IP origin story began as a poetry fellow and intern at the USPTO — a reminder that IP touches creative fields from the start.
• The core lesson Danny carries from the Situation Room: spend time understanding the full scope of a problem before proposing solutions.

Subscribe on your platform of choice or email us at explore@understandingip.org.

Content provided is for informational purposes only and does not represent the views of CIPU or its affiliates.

00:00 - Cold open: The Situation Room and IP
01:32 - Why Tencent isn't a US household name
05:35 - Danny's role and Tencent's IP portfolio
07:00 - Largest trademark filer in the world
08:30 - Tencent's AI patent strategy
10:55 - Copyright evolution in China
12:00 - Music piracy transformation
14:10 - Life as the Obama White House IP czar
17:59 - Whole-of-government IP strategy
21:01 - Government to global industry
22:35 - IP challenges at RELX and LexisNexis
27:21 - Protecting value-added content
28:33 - Global gaming and localization
32:33 - The Weixin Brand Protection Platform
35:07 - Why users self-report IP violations
37:51 - Agentic AI and the future of IP law
39:16 - Will AI require new regulation?
41:53 - Danny's IP origin story
44:13 - Understand the problem first

Support the show

Understanding IP Matters is brought to you by the nonprofit Center for Intellectual Property Understanding (CIPU) with generous support from its partners and sponsors. The podcast provides leading innovators and experts the space to share their IP stories.

Subscribe on your platform of choice or visit understandingip.org.
To reach us: explore@understandingip.org

Send us Fan Mail

Laura Peters provides rare perspective to intellectual property awareness, having served as Deputy Director at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office under Andre Iancu before becoming Executive Director of Research at UNC Charlotte. She tackles persistent misconceptions about patents in university settings, where publication incentives often overshadow commercialization opportunities.

Peters explains how patents function as temporary greenhouses for innovators—protecting ideas for 20 years before releasing them to public knowledge. Her work focuses on helping researchers understand that intellectual property extends far beyond patents and that securing rights doesn't conflict with open knowledge principles.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Universities reward publications over patents, creating commercialization barriers
• Researchers often conflate all IP rights with patents, missing broader protections
• Open knowledge advocates can still benefit from patent rights and public dedication
• Patents publish after 18 months, contributing to collective innovation knowledge
• Trade secrets are rising as patent uncertainty increases in AI and other sectors
• Subject matter eligibility reforms could strengthen innovation protection
• University culture change requires extensive education and community building
• Patents preserve innovator legacy across global innovation records

Support the show

Understanding IP Matters is brought to you by the nonprofit Center for Intellectual Property Understanding (CIPU) with generous support from its partners and sponsors. The podcast provides leading innovators and experts the space to share their IP stories.

Subscribe on your platform of choice or visit understandingip.org.
To reach us: explore@understandingip.org

Send us Fan Mail

Wayne Stacy brings a unique perspective from his role as executive director of Berkeley Center for Law and Technology. From his early days as a patent litigator to directing the Silicon Valley USPTO office and earning a Fulbright to work in Nepal, Wayne has witnessed dramatic changes in how technology affects legal practice. This conversation explores how AI is transforming legal education, the evolution of patent litigation costs, and why future lawyers need different skills than previous generations.

Key Takeaways:

• AI enables lawyers to focus on higher-value work by automating routine tasks
• Legal education must teach AI integration rather than AI avoidance
• Cross-disciplinary collaboration between law and engineering drives innovation policy
• Future lawyers need policy development skills alongside traditional legal training
• Berkeley's position in Silicon Valley creates unique opportunities for public discussions
• Entry-level lawyers must scale up capabilities to remain relevant in AI era

Support the show

Understanding IP Matters is brought to you by the nonprofit Center for Intellectual Property Understanding (CIPU) with generous support from its partners and sponsors. The podcast provides leading innovators and experts the space to share their IP stories.

Subscribe on your platform of choice or visit understandingip.org.
To reach us: explore@understandingip.org

Send us Fan Mail

Why do many businesses prefer lawsuits over licensing deals — and what does IP capital mean for innovation?

Phil Hartstein, co-founder of Soryn IP Capital and former CEO of Finjan Holdings, shares insights from orchestrating almost $500 million in licensing deals. He explains why patent licensing has shifted from corporate boardrooms to courtrooms, and discusses the economics of patent enforcement, the role of litigation finance in supporting legitimate innovators, and how AI is transforming IP strategy.

Phil reveals what makes patents valuable, why most portfolios contain only single-digit percentages of enforceable assets, and his perspective on patent monetization as a strategic responsibility rather than defensive last resort.

Key Takeaways:

• Most patent portfolios derive value from only single-digit percentages of total assets
• Corporate defendants now manage 50-100 active patent lawsuits simultaneously
• Patent litigation costs range from $2-20+ million and take 3-5+ years to resolve
• Licensing discussions once happened in boardrooms over 9-12 month periods
• Modern product cycles compress multiple technology clusters into shorter timeframes
• IP capital helps innovators compete against well-funded corporate defendants
• AI tools like ChatGPT are transforming patent analysis and claim construction workflows
• Patent monetization strengthens both business balance sheets and the broader innovation ecosystem
• The U.S. patent system's constitutional foundation drives American technology development
• Strategic patent enforcement requires demonstrating credibility, capability, and resources

About the Guest:

Phil Hartstein is a technology investor, inventor, and intellectual property strategist. He co-founded Soryn IP Capital and previously served as CEO of Finjan Holdings, a public company now owned by Fortress. At Finjen, he oversaw licensing and enforcement of pioneering cybersecurity patents, orchestrating more than $300 million in licensing deals. Phil holds more than two dozen pending and issued patents and has been twice recognized as a top 40 IP dealmaker.

00:00 - Introduction to Phil Hartstein
01:44 - Why companies prefer lawsuits to licenses
03:03 - Boardroom licensing era vs today
04:16 - Soryn IP Capital's role in leveling field
06:35 - Corporate litigation dockets explained
08:47 - Patent lawsuit economics and timelines
10:23 - Funding plaintiffs vs bad actors debate
13:10 - Making capital available for innovators
15:36 - Patent quality and portfolio value
18:07 - Supreme Court's Unwired Planet decision
20:16 - The Alice decision's ongoing impact
23:40 - Patent valuation and market adoption
26:25 - PTAB's role in patent examination
29:14 - Working with litigation finance
31:40 - Evaluating patent portfolio strength
34:22 - International IP enforcement landscape
37:08 - Germany's patent system advantages
39:30 - AI's impact on patent prosecution
42:42 - Racing vintage cars as analog escape
44:40 - Patent monetization as strategic duty

Support the show

Understanding IP Matters is brought to you by the nonprofit Center for Intellectual Property Understanding (CIPU) with generous support from its partners and sponsors. The podcast provides leading innovators and experts the space to share their IP stories.

Subscribe on your platform of choice or visit understandingip.org.
To reach us: explore@understandingip.org

Send us Fan Mail

Allison Gaul, senior counsel at BCG-X, an invention development and commercialization company, discusses the evolving AI landscape, where intellectual awareness meets real-world strategy.

As both a former patent examiner and litigator with a Harvard graduate degree in business analytics, she offers insider perspectives on how companies secure IP rights, why investors now prioritize AI risk policies, and how open source licensing drives market adoption.

The conversation explores copyrighted training data challenges, how small learning models compete with foundational LLMs, and why publicly available doesn't mean free to use. Gaul shares practical IP protection strategies for startups and established companies navigating content attribution, energy-efficient blockchain solutions, and the misconceptions engineers hold about software patents.

Key Takeaways:
• Small, targeted-use models (SLMs) trained on specific datasets are gaining traction because of their relevance and efficiency
• Investors are now scrutinizing AI startup' risk and compliance policies more carefully
• Open source licensing has become a significant tool for capturing market share
• Publicly available content is not automatically free to use; not all LLMs ascribe to this
• Blockchain offers potentially reliable solutions for IP tracking despite energy concerns
• IP and AI strategy require balancing innovation with responsible ethics
• Gen AI adoption began with easy productivity wins across industries
• Businesses that are mindful of AI risk are in a better position to attract capital

Subscribe to Understanding IP Matters on your preferred platform or visit understandingip.org for more episodes exploring intellectual property with leading innovators and experts.

00:00 - Introduction to Allison Gaul
01:07 - AI race and investor expectations
02:36 - Risk policies investors demand
03:01 - How companies leverage Gen AI
04:21 - Working with foundational model providers
05:34 - Day in the life of a product attorney
06:40 - Multi-dimensional AI competition
08:34 - Open source as market strategy
09:10 - Small learning models vs LLMs
11:02 - Copyright challenges in AI training
13:29 - Content attribution and data rights
15:41 - Licensing deals and fair use debate
17:34 - Legal frameworks catching up
19:20 - Transparency in AI systems
21:25 - Attribution standards discussion
23:38 - Geographic variations in AI law
25:44 - EU regulations and global impact
27:50 - Cross-border compliance challenges
29:33 - Energy concerns in AI development
31:18 - IP education for engineers
33:11 - Patents in software development
35:27 - Ethical IP strategy and responsibility
37:54 - Patent troll misconceptions
39:50 - Attribution vs permission clarified
40:54 - Blockchain solutions and limitations
42:08 - First exposure to IP rights

Support the show

Understanding IP Matters is brought to you by the nonprofit Center for Intellectual Property Understanding (CIPU) with generous support from its partners and sponsors. The podcast provides leading innovators and experts the space to share their IP stories.

Subscribe on your platform of choice or visit understandingip.org.
To reach us: explore@understandingip.org

Send us Fan Mail

When creativity meets intellectual property, innovation has no boundaries.

Eric Bear has licensed intellectual property to all major U.S. studios and Fortune 500 companies while maintaining a successful acting career. With over 100 patents covering software and video technology, Eric's seamless expansion invention was popularized by The Matrix and licensed to Disney, Fox, and other major studios. This conversation explores how he balances roles as inventor, entrepreneur, actor, and university professor while navigating patent litigation and startup IP protection. Discover how unconventional career paths can drive business trademark protection and commercial success.

Key Takeaways:

• How Eric licensed technology to all major Hollywood studios
• The connection between acting, invention, and entrepreneurial thinking
• Navigating patent litigation while maintaining creative pursuits
• Building companies around intellectual property course principles
• The role of performance capture technology in modern filmmaking
• Protecting IP rights while collaborating with Fortune 500 companies
• Career advice for young creators balancing art and business
• How AI impacts creative industries and performer rights
• The importance of following passion over financial incentives
• Screen Actors Guild protections for digital likeness rights

Support the show

Understanding IP Matters is brought to you by the nonprofit Center for Intellectual Property Understanding (CIPU) with generous support from its partners and sponsors. The podcast provides leading innovators and experts the space to share their IP stories.

Subscribe on your platform of choice or visit understandingip.org.
To reach us: explore@understandingip.org

Send us Fan Mail

Ruth Vitale, Oscar-winning producer and CEO of Creative Future, reveals the devastating impact of copyright piracy on America's entertainment workforce. Piracy costs the economy up to $71 billion annually and threatens 560,000 jobs across film and television. Ruth explains how small business IP protection matters for the 122,000 companies serving Hollywood, why copyright law basics must evolve for the digital age, and what IP protection strategies could save the industry. From malware risks on pirate sites to AI's threat to actor rights, this conversation exposes hard truths about intellectual property education and the urgent need for site blocking legislation.

Key Takeaways:

• Piracy costs the US economy between $29 to 71 billion annually
• Film and television employ 2.3 million Americans (down from 2.7 million)
• 92% of entertainment businesses employ fewer than 10 people
• Google receives 58 million takedown requests weekly—yet pirate sites flourish
• 60 countries have site blocking laws; the US does not
• Visiting pirate sites carries a 30%+ risk of downloading malware
• Movie theaters keep 50% of box office revenue
• Average entertainment industry salary: $141,000 vs $94,000 nationally
• Independent filmmakers finance projects with credit cards, can lose everything to piracy
• AI companies train models on copyrighted content without permission

Listen to discover how intellectual property course advocates like Ruth are fighting to protect creative workers and why copyright training matters for every entrepreneur.

Support the show

Understanding IP Matters is brought to you by the nonprofit Center for Intellectual Property Understanding (CIPU) with generous support from its partners and sponsors. The podcast provides leading innovators and experts the space to share their IP stories.

Subscribe on your platform of choice or visit understandingip.org.
To reach us: explore@understandingip.org

Send us Fan Mail

Award-winning educator and IP advocate Daryl Lim joins Bruce Berman to explore the intersection of artificial intelligence and intellectual property education. Broadcasting from Singapore, Daryl shares his global perspective on how AI is reshaping IP frameworks, from the $1.5 billion Anthropic settlement to the emergence of new data rights. This conversation examines IP leadership challenges, the role of blockchain in patent processes, and why marginalized communities need better access to intellectual property protection. Daryl discusses China's rapid IP development, the importance of equity by design in technology governance, and practical startup IP strategies for navigating an increasingly complex landscape.

Key Takeaways:

• AI and IP rights are fundamentally interconnected and evolving together
• The $1.5 billion Anthropic case settlement sets precedent at $3,000 per book
• IP leadership requires moving ahead of trends, not following them
• China has transformed from IP pirate nation to major player in 20 years
• Blockchain technology can reduce friction in IP transactions
• Universities became IP believers after the Bayh-Dole Act enabled monetization
• Content creators must embrace technology as ally, not enemy
• Government frameworks should align AI development with societal values
• Patent education and copyright training need to be more inclusive
• Small creators need better tools to participate in large-scale licensing

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Understanding IP Matters is brought to you by the nonprofit Center for Intellectual Property Understanding (CIPU) with generous support from its partners and sponsors. The podcast provides leading innovators and experts the space to share their IP stories.

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To reach us: explore@understandingip.org

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Join host Bruce Berman for an illuminating conversation with Henry Hadad, Head of Intellectual Property Rights at Bristol-Myers Squibb. This episode explores how intellectual property education and strong patent protection drive medical breakthroughs while addressing common misconceptions about IP rights.

Hadad shares his unique journey from a creative family background—his uncle wrote disco classics like "It's Raining Men"—to becoming a leading voice in pharmaceutical patent strategy. Learn how the patent process explained through real-world examples demonstrates why IP protection strategies are essential for developing life-saving treatments. Discover insights on startup IP challenges, the role of university research, and why patent basics matter more than ever in our innovation-driven economy.

Key Takeaways:

• Strong patent systems drive innovation by providing investment certainty
• University research partnerships create vital public-private innovation bridges
• Patent licensing enables smaller inventors to monetize their discoveries
• AI-generated inventions pose new challenges for patent eligibility
• China's improving IP system creates competitive pressure for US innovation
• Clear communication about IP benefits counters harmful misconceptions
• Patent certainty affects venture capital investment decisions
• Pharmaceutical patents enable continued research into new disease indications

Support the show

Understanding IP Matters is brought to you by the nonprofit Center for Intellectual Property Understanding (CIPU) with generous support from its partners and sponsors. The podcast provides leading innovators and experts the space to share their IP stories.

Subscribe on your platform of choice or visit understandingip.org.
To reach us: explore@understandingip.org

Send us Fan Mail

Michael Cima is a researcher, inventor and entrepreneur who has spent 40-years creating advanced medical devices that focus on diagnostics and treatments for cancer, metabolic diseases and trauma. He is also devoted educator mentoring the next generation of creators about the broad benefits of IP rights.

Support the show

Understanding IP Matters is brought to you by the nonprofit Center for Intellectual Property Understanding (CIPU) with generous support from its partners and sponsors. The podcast provides leading innovators and experts the space to share their IP stories.

Subscribe on your platform of choice or visit understandingip.org.
To reach us: explore@understandingip.org

Send us Fan Mail

Julie Zerbo is an editor, lawyer and business analyst who covers the business of fashion, including its evolving use of licensing and IP rights.

Support the show

Understanding IP Matters is brought to you by the nonprofit Center for Intellectual Property Understanding (CIPU) with generous support from its partners and sponsors. The podcast provides leading innovators and experts the space to share their IP stories.

Subscribe on your platform of choice or visit understandingip.org.
To reach us: explore@understandingip.org

Send us Fan Mail

Author Jonathan Barnett argues that tilting the IP playing field to the benefit of the biggest companies is a much greater threat to innovation, business and democracy than we are willing to admit.

Support the show

Understanding IP Matters is brought to you by the nonprofit Center for Intellectual Property Understanding (CIPU) with generous support from its partners and sponsors. The podcast provides leading innovators and experts the space to share their IP stories.

Subscribe on your platform of choice or visit understandingip.org.
To reach us: explore@understandingip.org

Send us Fan Mail

Brandie Nonnecke heads the CITRIS Policy Lab, a tech research center at UC Berkeley that focuses on IT and deep tech and explores topical issues, including personal data privacy, digital access equity, AI bias, and the influence of social media on democracy.

Support the show

Understanding IP Matters is brought to you by the nonprofit Center for Intellectual Property Understanding (CIPU) with generous support from its partners and sponsors. The podcast provides leading innovators and experts the space to share their IP stories.

Subscribe on your platform of choice or visit understandingip.org.
To reach us: explore@understandingip.org

Send us Fan Mail

Dr. Bertley is a nine-time Emmy Award winning educator who believes that inventions and creative expression are for everyone, from school age children to leading research institutions. Science, technology, engineering, arts, math (STEAM) are his passion. As CEO of the leading U.S. science museum, Center for Science & Indusry (COSI), he is living it.

Support the show

Understanding IP Matters is brought to you by the nonprofit Center for Intellectual Property Understanding (CIPU) with generous support from its partners and sponsors. The podcast provides leading innovators and experts the space to share their IP stories.

Subscribe on your platform of choice or visit understandingip.org.
To reach us: explore@understandingip.org

Send us Fan Mail

Arguably the most successful USPTO Director, Andrei Iancu, worries that fear of an AI apocalyps are over blown and that too much regulation could be a bigger threat to the U.S.'s ability to compete than too little

Support the show

Understanding IP Matters is brought to you by the nonprofit Center for Intellectual Property Understanding (CIPU) with generous support from its partners and sponsors. The podcast provides leading innovators and experts the space to share their IP stories.

Subscribe on your platform of choice or visit understandingip.org.
To reach us: explore@understandingip.org