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A new approach to intellectual property

Nature Nanotechnology volume 4, pages 7–8 (2009)Cite this article

A company founded by two ex-Microsoft employees is buying up patents in nanotechnology and other areas on a grand scale, as Adarsh Sandhu reports.

Now, a US company is offering an alternative route for nanotech inventors to take their ideas from the lab to the marketplace. Intellectual Ventures was founded in 2000 by Nathan Myhrvold, the former head of Microsoft Research, and Edward Jung, who was the chief software architect at the software giant for a decade. Based in Bellevue, Washington, Intellectual Ventures buys ideas, patents them, and then sells or licences the patents for the benefit of its investors and the inventors, who receive royalties. “I refer to our business model as 'invention capitalism',” says Myhrvold. “We offer 'traction' for ideas. You may have a great engine but without the transmission to get power to the wheels, you will not get far.”

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  1. Adarsh Sandhu
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Sandhu, A. A new approach to intellectual property. Nature Nanotech 4, 7–8 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2008.381

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