Professional Documents
Culture Documents
THE FUTURE OF
INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY
The death of plagiarism
Michael Carl | Maria Lbcke
1
Management Summary
MANAGEMENT SUMMARY
The Future of Intellectual Property
Know-how will soon From protection Customer needs are Data is the substance The death of plagia-
carry the success of to use: The mere changing: The poten- of intellectual property. rism: In a digitalized
companies. An omni-IP protective function of tial of IP is generated Continuous communi- world, the interaction
management system IP management will through its activation; cation between com- between companies
can cover the entire take a backseat in however, its real value panies and customers and customers will
range of a companys favor of mechanisms first appears during is a prerequisite here. reach new heights
intellectual property for exploiting profit customer interaction. For the customer, this through the use of
needs. opportunities. interaction is the place artificial intelligence in
where value is created customer contact. As
From use to sharing: for them. For compa- soon as the interaction
Copyright holders will nies, the interaction between providers
shift to granting cost- with customers is a and customers has
free access to their IPR. source of new intellec- become the core for
tual property. new knowledge new
From sharing to relea- intellectual property
sing: IPR will be used reproduction by third
freely within coope- parties is no longer
rative networks while possible. This intellec-
serving outwardly as a tual property can no
defense mechanism. longer be imitated,
stolen, or copied.
#1 In the future, the customer is the source of intellectual pro- #4 If you shelve your intellectual property in the form of patents
perty. The customer is the driver, the interaction is the prerequi- locked away in your filing cabinets, you will shelve your compa-
site, and the data is the foundation of the intellectual property of nys success as well. No matter the industry, your companys suc-
the future. Put the customer at the center of your development cess depends on the proactive management of your intellectual
of products, services, and processes. property.
#2 Together with partners, create a blockchain-based alternative #5 The first to share will be the first to profit. Let go of the idea of
for conventional IPR that is quicker, more transparent, impossible exclusive usage in favor of rapid development. Purposefully share
to manipulate, and works without middlemen. Do not try to your intellectual property within partnership frameworks in order
be an essential driver for the legislation here you have other to boost your speed.
options.
#6 For patent and trademark offices: Reality and regulation are
#3 Shape the internal organizational structure of your company drifting apart; traditional protective mechanisms now miss the
like a customer interface. Also, view potential staff members as mark. Become the advocate for the intellectual property of the
your most important partners. Where they share their expertise future. Do not digitalize existing mechanisms create digital
with you is where your companys intellectual property will grow. processes for the protection of intellectual property.
2
Contents
Contents
Management Summary 2
Contents 3
Foreword by 2bAhead 4
Greetings by Dennemeyer 5
The Study
(Trend-cycle analysis Not megatrends) 7
The Big Picture
(How will living and working environments change by 2030?) 9
Introduction
(The future of intellectual property) 13
The protection of intellectual property
(The Transformation of IPR Systems) 15
The transformation of IP management
(How companies will manage their intellectual property) 25
Handling IPR
(How companies will exploit their intellectual property) 33
Changing customer needs
(How the importance of trademarks and brands will change) 39
Data the foundation for the IP of the future
(How the source of new intellectual property will change) 44
The death of plagiarism
(How customer interaction will prevent plagiarism) 48
Epilogue
(2030 and beyond) 50
Strategic Recommendations
(How to make your company future-proof) 53
The authors
(Scientists, Trend Researchers, and Strategy Consultants) 56
The methods
(The Delphi Method and Qualitative Expert Interviews) 57
The experts
(Investment decision makers, strategy leaders, and future experts) 58
Literature, studies, and articles
(Places of Inspiration) 60
Study Partners 62
Glossary 63
Imprint 65
3
Trend Area 1: The Protection of Intellectual Property
THE PROTECTION OF
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
THE TRANSFORMATION OF IPR SYSTEMS
A variety of technological developments will transform Innovation cycles in companies are becom-
the environment for the creation, use, and protection ing shorter while development speed is
of intellectual property. Innovation cycles are becom- increasing
ing increasingly shorter, the speed of development
is growing, and markets are gaining new momentum The innovative activity of companies is growing across
thanks even to digitalization alone through the fusion industries. Expenses for research and development
of previously distinct sectors. Customers expectations (R&D) in German companies have grown by 9.5% (to
regarding the immediate and highly individualized 62.4 billion) in 2015 compared to the previous year2.
satisfaction of their needs will result from this devel- A success with various drivers: Investment in research
opment and fuel it at the same time. This is increasing and development has never been as high in Germany
the pressure on patent and trademark offices to as in 2015. This is a great joint effort between state and
similarly pick up speed and agility and to allow for new industry. It is particularly encouraging that, after years
connectability. The use of technology and automation of stagnation, small and medium-sized companies are
are changing the system for IPRs. Companies are driv- investing more in internal research again, says Federal
ing transnational systems for IPRs. Research Minister Johanna Wanka3. There is a similar
trend internationally. Between 2010 and 2015, expenses
for R&D have risen by 34%4: Investments are being
made in innovation.
2
https://www.stifterverband.org/pressemitteilungen/2016_12_12_forschung_und_entwicklung
3
https://www.stifterverband.org/pressemitteilungen/2016_12_12_forschung_und_entwicklung
4
http://www.strategy-business.com/feature/Software-as-a-Catalyst?gko=7a1a
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Trend Area 1: The Protection of Intellectual Property
technologically enhanced possibilities of prototyping. is a facet of changing customer needs which will be de-
At the same time, there is an increasing expectation by scribed in more detail in Trend Area 4 of this study. The
the customers that their own needs will find immediate easy availability of non-physical, software-based prod-
and individualized fulfillment. This is causing companies ucts plays its part, too. When a better product enters
to accelerate development speed and keep innovation the market, customers can often switch with a single
cycles as short as possible. click. This phenomenon is less pronounced with physical
products; however, providers who offer subsequent op-
The drivers of this accelerated pace of development are timizations have an advantage as well. This means that
divided according to the degree of innovation involved: merging the digital and analog worlds offers a means of
In the case of incremental product improvements, it optimizing physical products. Tesla, for example, sells a
is mostly the users who demand an increase in devel- given vehicle, but while the physical product does not
opment speed. For disruptive innovations and new change, the software within is updated regularly. The
solutions, a high rate of development is important for result is this: Not only are innovation cycles becoming
tapping the benefits of scaling effects as a first mover. shorter, but products long in use by customers can have
Quick disruption here forms the foundation for an a stake in the market as well.
unfair advantage which allows for rapid growth, and
intrinsically includes a certain protective function for the Thus the seemingly provisional nature of an always
company business model as well. beta product is becoming a development advantage on
the market. With this strategic approach to always beta
Another driver for accelerated development speed: or perpetual beta, projects will never be fully complete.
The foundation for both the new and continuing devel- Instead, it is possible to make changes to the program
opment of products is noticeably improving. With the or product at any point. Feedback, suggestions, and
Internet of Things, and in the long run the Internet of proposals for improvement from customers can be im-
Everything, virtually all everyday objects, devices, and plemented much more quickly. This means that the level
products will receive a digital interface. They will then of quality possible with a longer development phase has
become places where data can be created, gathered, not yet been reached at launch. Always-beta products
and collected. More and more of this data will be availa- are more flexible and can be better tailored to customer
ble for companies in the future. The possibilities for the needs. Due to the close cooperation with customers,
useful evaluation of data will grow even more in parallel manufacturers know that they will precisely meet their
with the level of connection between these devices. The customers needs. Always beta allows for more speed
melding of living and working environments will grow and, most of all, for the development of a better prod-
further and faster in the next few years due to the enor- uct for the customer thanks to continuous development
mous increase in the performance power of intelligent efforts throughout the entire product life cycle.
computer systems and algorithms.
Shorter innovation cycles mean shorter product life
By collecting more customer data, analyzing it, and using cycles as well. Software engineers Shalaka Kadam and
it in combination with intelligent algorithms, companies Dinesh Apte conclude: The life cycle of products is
can gain increasingly precise insights into their custom- becoming shorter and shorter due to increased com-
ers individual needs. The ability to integrate this contin- petition in-market, shorter product development time,
uously growing knowledge will be the foundation for the and increased product diversity. This is especially true
faster development of better products. What remains for non-physical products. As soon as a new insurance
merely a possibility in many cases today will quickly coverage, new software, or a new telecom rate enters
become a simple necessity for companies tomorrow. the market, it replaces its predecessors. However, this is
In the case of digital products in particular, companies also true for hybrid products that include both physical
are forced to provide fast incremental improvements. and non-physical components. Primarily hybrid products
Customer loyalty is shrinking in numerous markets this stay relevant with the help of software updates. But in
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Trend Area 1: The Protection of Intellectual Property
the future, the pressure on physical products to remain This would be important for companies that have to know
up-to-date will increase, too. Customers used to buy a where their competitors have filed patents in order to avoid
new TV every ten years; now it is every four to six years. infringement. Patent offices have to become much faster.
The pace is even faster for computers and smartphones. Dr. Franz Wittwer, Biotronik
In Germany, a patent granting procedure takes an A result: The protection of a product will no longer be
average of 24 to 30 months to be completed, provided ensured by a single patent, but by a group of patents.
that the request for examination has been submitted Another driver of this development is the increasing
four months after the application and the examination granting of patents for detailed solutions or incremental
fee has been paid5. The term for a European patent improvements. As soon as a company is able to measure
granting procedure is three to five years from the date customer behavior with the help of data collection, it
of submission6. In contrast, the registration procedure will know which incremental improvements are par-
for trademarks and utility models can already be ticularly effective. If the competition is kept from using
completed after approximately three to four months78. these, the company will have secured a solid advantage.
The imbalance is immediately noticeable with patents: In addition, the number of patents is also growing due to
Increasingly faster-acting companies face comparatively increased cooperation between companies, as a given
slow patent and trademark offices. product is now interesting (and protected) in the per-
spectives of different industries, components, or value
Patent procedures and periods in patent offices originate creation stages. This enhances the quality of patents,
from the days before the internet. Patent applications, for but also increases their fragmentation at the same time.
example, are published 18 months after filing. With an IT-sup-
ported environment, the processes in patent offices could be
accelerated and information could be made available more
quickly.
5 https://www.dpma.de/patent/faqs/index.html#a9
6 http://www.epo.org/service-support/faq/own-file_de.html#faq-274
7 https://www.dpma.de/marke/faqs/index.html
8 https://www.dpma.de/gebrauchsmuster/faqs/index.html
9 https://www3.wipo.int/ipstats/index.htm?tab=patent
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Trend Area 1: The Protection of Intellectual Property
In the next 10 years, patents will continue to be submitted A second much more promising path here is the use
extensively. At the same time, the expenses for freedom to op- of technology. And this does not mean the automated
erate will grow even further. However, the pain caused by the translation of patents, which will be a given at the be-
handling of this quantity alone will increase exponentially. ginning of the next decade at the latest. Online patent
Prof. Martin Bader, BGW AG Management Advisory Group submission: In the future, however, these interfaces
St. Gallen - Vienna will go far beyond the quick and efficient submission of
patents the real emphasis will be on faster processing.
Moreover, the growing number of patent applications
The time gap between patent filings and the completion will be the largest driver for the use of artificial intel-
the patent granting process is widening. Shorter innova- ligence for IPR. By 2030, intelligent algorithms will be
tion cycles, faster development speeds, the expansion of used as a support tool to determine the inventive level
patent systems, and a fragmented patent environment of a patent application, compare it to patent databases,
further boost the number of patent applications. This is and finally ensure the granting of the patent itself all at
why prior art searches are becoming increasingly com- the touch of a button.
plex. This rise in complexity requires more resources in
terms of personnel and therefore also financially on As soon as an automated translation of patents is possible,
the part of the companies and state institutions. there will be a global database of patents. Based on that,
intelligent software and machine learning will help to analyze
Regulation and technology in the sphere patents. In the future, artificial intelligence will support
of patent and trademark offices decisions on which patent is granted and which is not. As the
human subjectivity is removed from the process of granting
Patent and trademark offices can react to this develop- patents by using artificial intelligence, this will increase the
ment with the use of regulation and technology. This quality of patents.
way, they can counteract the increase in the number of Christian Bunke, Aalbun
Even today, proving that an infringement has occurred Averbis offers companies and patent offices a software so-
can be very challenging with some markets and technolo- lution for the most effective search processes, content struc-
gies. In addition, the enforcement of rights can sometimes turing, and targeted data analysis. The program focuses on
be difficult. With intellectual property rights for greater the analysis of patents, but also on unstructured social media
numbers of detailed solutions and incremental improve- data. The aim is to thereby exploit and analyze both internal
ments, the difficulty of substantiating infringements will company knowledge sources as well as external ones in
intensify even more. A corresponding intensification of the order to gain an overview of new technologies and patents.
requirements for patentability could possibly counteract In addition to text recognition, Averbis uses technologies to
the emerging flood of applications for smaller inventions. automate information processes and the classification of do-
On the other hand, companies could avoid filing patents cuments. In this way Averbis supports, for example, the work
for smaller inventions in the long run should the diffi- processes of the European Patent Office in The Hague.
culty of substantiation procedures and implementation
further intensify
Lukas Roesgen, SLM Solutions
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Trend Area 1: The Protection of Intellectual Property
Automatic reading, automatic analysis and so on: you The obvious initial use of artificial intelligence will give
can imagine different possibilities here. I dont see this as companies the opportunity to keep an overview of the
a potential danger for patent attorneys, but rather as tools patent landscape and to determine the value of new
that they would use. patents. Intelligent software for the automated reading
Dr. Malte Kllner, Dennemeyer & Associates S.A. and analysis of patents will become a common tool in
IP management. This starts with the establishment of
the prior art. Prior art or the state of the art comprises
everything made available to the public by any means
Companies will take the initiative as well before the date of filing a patent application or the date
of priority (Art. 54 II EPC, 3 I 2). The research is primari-
In the coming years, companies will also begin using ly based on the review of the published patents and util-
technology for the management of their intellectual ity models pooled in digital databases. The aim of this
property as an increasingly natural part of their busi- research is to avoid infringement of third party patents
ness. This ranges from the automatic generation of while simultaneously ensuring the freedom to operate.
patent applications to the use of artificial intelligence In the future, automated prior art searches, which are
in IP management. With regard to the optimization of already possible today, will be further optimized by the
IP management, the use of AI offers the same opportu- use of artificial intelligence. By 2030 at the latest, this
nities for companies as it does for patent and trademark research will be automated by means of intelligent algo-
offices. rithms. It will be faster, more precise, and more reliable.
In the future, the freedom to operate will be used much
The basic research phase is automated; the final evalu- more often than today by purchasing licenses or partici-
ation through human intelligence is not. pating in cooperation networks see Trend Area 3.
Dr. Jrg Thomaier, Bayer Intellectual Property GmbH
If any company were to come out of hiding and offer this kind of
solution involving artificial intelligence, then we would possibly make
joint field tests with them and try out the applications. We are always The speed gap between the development of intellectual
very open to testing this in our company or implementing it in a pilot property on the one hand, and the possibilities of tra-
project. ditional institutions for its protection on the other, will
Dr. Stephan Wolke, ThyssenKrupp Intellectual Property GmbH
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Trend Area 1: The Protection of Intellectual Property
increasingly lead to the creation of alternative strategies device in the network, and then verified by each. Next,
and processes for handling IP in the next few years. If the block is stacked to the already existing blockchain
patent and trademark offices do not meet the growing i.e., other transactions. The decentralized storage and
demand for speed, companies will develop their own connection of blocks with existing and future transac-
mechanisms for the protection of their intellectual tions increases security, as the information is effectively
property. In cooperation with other companies, they will impossible to change the manipulation would have to
increasingly turn to creating new parallel systems with be carried out on each and every device in the network.
different operating principles. Their goal will not be the Another advantage is that both contract partners A and
digitalization of analog patents, but the establishment B can prove that the money has changed hands at any
of a new system which will better satisfy the needs of time. Each transaction is digitally signed by a public and
the digital world, while at the same time offsetting the private key for each partner with which both parties can
inherent weaknesses of patents. properly be identified.
Due to the rapid spread of information and availability, as These transactions must not necessarily be of a financial
well as the increasingly fast pace of developed technology, nature. In principal, the technology can be used for any
practical speed advantage is sometimes more important for kind of information exchange. It serves as a trust provid-
companies than IPR. For many actually good inventions, se- er in various fields of application. Blockchain technology,
curing formal IPRs is not always commercially worthwhile. or more precisely the principle of blockchain technology,
Lukas Roesgen, SLM Solutions will increasingly become known across industries as
a trusted third party over the next few years. One es-
sential driver is the speed gab between innovation and
traditional documentation.
A first possibility is the use of blockchain technology as
a new protective mechanism for intellectual property. By 2030, blockchain technology and associated ap-
Blockchain technology offers companies the option to plications like smart contracts will be more common
forgo the protective promise of traditional intellectual in various segments. The platform Ethereum, and
property rights, but at the same time still provides organizations such as The DAO that use its technology,
security for both sides by using an independent third are now working on making applications easy to use
party the blockchain. Currently blockchain technology for the IT-savvy end user without any prior expertise.
is often massively underestimated. The arguably best- Companies like Backfeed are working to make the use of
known blockchain applications are cryptocurrencies blockchain technology as easy as browsing the internet
such as Bitcoin that enable worldwide transactions by the end of the decade blockchain for everyone.
within milliseconds and cannot be manipulated due to
Use Cases
their decentralized character. Cut out the middleman:
Bitcoin ensures P2P transactions without a bank and The Berlin-based startup Ascribe issues licenses for digital
without any loss of trust. The data on effected transac- artwork via blockchain technology and returns the power
tions is logged in blocks (hence the name), saved in the over their works back to the artists. Artists who are regis-
blockchain, and copied on every device that uses the tered on Ascribe digitally sign their pieces and can transfer
technology. user rights to buyers with a cryptographic, forgery-proof
certificate of authenticity which allows for easy retracing of
The security promise of blockchain technology is set up the ownership history. The collector, in turn, is then free to
systemically. This can easily be seen in the example of a sell the art along with the digital certificate. This solution
money transfer. The transfer from person A to person is currently geared towards artists, photographers, and
B is digitally mapped as a block, transmitted to every designers.
20
Trend Area 1: The Protection of Intellectual Property
By this time at the latest, blockchain technology will a technological invention that demonstrates inventive
have the potential to completely restructure the princi- step and thus stands out from the prior art. In contrast
ples of intellectual property its protection as well as its to patents, utility models are pure registration IPRs, as
use. the institution for utility models does not check if the
requirements for protection have been fulfilled. Only in
This is precisely where blockchain-based platforms come the event of a dispute will a court determine whether
into play, thus launching the development of a supple- the utility model is valid.
mentary system. There are already blockchain solutions
for non-registered intellectual property rights such The blockchain has a time stamp in each block that cant be
as copyrights. These allow for an encrypted upload of modified afterwards; this can be used at any time to prove
copyrightable content, provide a time stamp, and attach that a document existed in a certain form. And if you also
it to the existing blocks of other works of art. In case of have the specific private key i.e., the key of the user that
doubt it is possible to clearly identify at which time and has submitted the document, you can also prove that this
by which logged-in entity the registration was first car- particular user has used this document. And this alone means
ried out. All this is achieved independently of national that you dont have to go to the patent office: You essentially
borders and is significantly faster than classic methods dont have to do anything else to prove that a certain docu-
as a large part of the process is carried out automatically ment existed at a certain time and has been used.
and the system needs no operator. The documentation Christoph Jentzsch, Slock.it
in the blockchain is obviously no substitute for a court
ruling. However, it facilitates the substantiation process
and thus can replace analog systems for trademark and A digital utility model based on blockchain technology
patent applications as proof of the ownership of the in- even makes it possible to record both inventor and
novation. This clearly identifiable allocation means more time of entry with absolute certainty. Here, too, only a
security for copyright holders. On this basis they can court will determine if this is valid. A result for everyone
offer new possible uses for their intellectual property. involved in the current system: The costs and therefore
The use of IPRs will drive the application of blockchain fees for the registration of utility models will thus drop
technology as a protective mechanism in the years rapidly. Private inventors, smaller companies, startups,
ahead. and specialized think tanks would especially benefit
from this development. The Bureau of National Affairs
Use Cases
confirms: Ownership of intellectual property (IP)
Decent is an open source platform for the blockchain-based could be similarly recorded on a decentralized ledger.
protection of intellectual property. The provider trustingly Tokens that represent individual sticks from the bundle
and securely saves items without any physical infrastructure of property or IP rights could be individually transferred.
or agent and in addition lets users exchange and publish For example, the right to perform a copyrighted work
their works. The providers Proofofexistence and Blockai offer could be sold as a token on a blockchain without the
similar platforms. Users register in the system for a small need to affect other exclusive rights or renegotiate up-
fee; the blocks document the content of their work without stream licensing agreements. [...] The use of blockchain
saving copies of it in order to ensure that no piece of work is technology in the context of IP would require a further
published without prior approval. Here it is even possible to doctrinal and legislative shift.
save ideas anonymously.
The drivers reaction speed and costs alone will lead to
the fact that companies will use a parallel system for
In addition to non-registered IPRs, blockchain technol- protective mechanisms based on blockchain technology
ogy can also be used for registered IPRs. Utility models within the next few years. The increasing usability of
already have the characteristics of a blockchain solution. applications and eventually the growing circle of users
The utility model is a technical IPR which can be filed for will further boost this development, as well as the
21
Trend Area 1: The Protection of Intellectual Property
option to test these protective mechanisms in parallel to on technological platforms. Neither digital platforms
conventional IPR solutions before traditional property such as Alibaba or Amazon, nor the companies them-
mechanisms can be gradually disintegrated. selves, are constrained by national borders.
As soon as existing mechanism such as patents lose A harmonization of the by now mostly global compe-
significance and companies develop their own solutions tition between companies will see even more demand, thus
for the protection of their intellectual property, the further increasing the need for harmonization.
business model of non-practicing entities and trolls will Lukas Roesgen, SLM Solutions
22
Trend Area 1: The Protection of Intellectual Property
unitary effect and centralized enforcement is the next Patent concepts and many patent laws are already very
important step to the harmonization of European IPRs. It similar, but each country enforces patents according to its
[...] is a European patent, granted by the EPO under the own legal system. Forcing a country to alter its own legal
rules and procedures of the European Patent Conven- system for patent enforcement is a violation of that countrys
tion, to which, upon request of the patent proprietor, independence.
unitary effect is given for the territory of the 25 Member Leigh Outten, adidas Group
10 http://www.epo.org/service-support/faq/procedure-law/faq_de.html#faq-630
23
Trend Area 1: The Protection of Intellectual Property
24
Strategic Recommendations
STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS
HOW TO MAKE YOUR COMPANY FUTURE-PROOF
Intellectual property will be at the center of corporate will determine the future success of your company.
activity in the future. This radical transformation is In comparison, the products themselves are mere
driven by technology. How can you unlock the true temporary solutions.
potential of your intellectual property? Start securing
a decisive market advantage today: 27 strategic re- 4. Always beta was yesterday, be always gamma. Ex-
commendations for decision makers, IP managers, and pand the idea of continuous product development
patent attorneys. and early market trials. Focus on the continuous
growth of your intellectual property in the frame-
The customer is the source of the intellec- work of customer dialogue.
tual property of the future. The customer is
the driver, the interaction is the prerequi- 5. Interact individually with each customer, even in
site, and the data is the foundation of the bulk business. Use the efficiency of artificial intelli-
intellectual property of tomorrow. Put the gence to do so. Only AI can evaluate the complexity
customer at the center of your develop- of the customer dialogue at the necessary level of
ment of products, services, and processes. detail.
1. Develop your products even further by letting your 6. Create trust between your customers and your
customers use them (and while they do so) in the technology. This way, your artificial intelligence will
future, this will generate new intellectual property become your product developer.
for companies.
Without a customer interface, there is no
2. Enter into seamless interaction and communication intellectual property. Without intellectual
with your customers. Record their data, evaluate it, property, there is no company success.
and share the results with them. Protecting intellectual property means pro-
tecting the customer interface. This is the
3. Align R&D, as well as product development, mar- source of new knowledge, new products,
keting, and sales with your customer dialogue. The new intellectual property, and a successful
quantity and quality of your customer interactions business.
53
Strategic Recommendations
7. Employ intellectual property rights to protect those This is will provide you with a reliable expertise
technologies used to record and structure data. See network.
IPR as a medium for increasing the opportunity for
and security of data collection, thereby ensuring the 14. Prepare for the next step in the development
foundation of future business models. process, when you cannot hire carriers of knowhow
any more, but purchase a license to their knowledge
8. Are you leaving static products behind? Then leave instead. Become a license broker for the expertise
static brands behind as well. Dynamic products of those in your network.
require dynamic brands. With the creation of an
adaptive product through customer dialogue, the If you shelve your intellectual property
brand will also continue to evolve. in the form of patents locked away in
your filing cabinets, you will shelve your
9. See data security and data protection as an essen- companys success as well. No matter the
tial part of the protection of intellectual property. industry, your companys success depends
This includes safety and security just as it does the on the proactive management of your intel-
transfer of data sovereignty to the user. The user lectual property.
will decide what data they want to share and how it
can be used. 15. Only technology will be able to record and process
the growing piles of data and knowledge within
Shape the internal organizational structure companies. Establish an omni-IP management
of your company like a customer interface. system. Gather all elements of your intellectual
Also, view potential staff members as your property in one platform from registered to
most important partners. Where they share non-registered IPR.
their expertise with you is where your com-
panys intellectual property will grow. 16. Your members of staff will decide if, and what part
of, their expertise they want to make permanently
10. Your staff drives the development of your company, available to you, and under what conditions. Ask
so drive the development of your staff! Use your them!
corporate IP management to map and then to de-
velop your know-how. 17. Use machine-learning algorithms that understand
innovation processes. The more intelligent the
11. Identify potential employees according to their system, the sooner it will create suggestions for
know-how. Pitch yourself to suitable candidates optimization and take your speed of development to
specifically on this basis. Consciously expand your the next level.
network to gain the necessary foundation.
18. Stop spreading your knowledge aimlessly in your
12. Human HR is over; use artificial intelligence during company. Share it in a targeted way. Use artificial
the recruiting process. Algorithms are able to assess intelligence in order to introduce knowledge at the
candidates better than human experience can. Au- right place and at the right time this also applies to
tomate processes in order to raise quality and avoid setting up teams. AI knows exactly who in the com-
expensive wrong decisions. pany has the expertise needed to fill the gaps.
13. Use after-sales HR marketing. Maintain contact to 19. Omni-IP management of the future also means
your staff even after they have left the company. radically introducing new corporate structures. Stop
54
Strategic Recommendations
thinking in terms of departments! Think in terms of For patent and trademark offices:
projects! Set up temporary interdisciplinary teams
for each project. Reality and regulation are drifting apart;
traditional protective mechanisms now
20. AI is quicker, more precise, and more reliable than miss the mark. Become the advocate for
your patent attorneys. Use artificial intelligence the intellectual property of the future. Do
to gain an overview of the patent landscape or to not digitalize existing mechanisms create
determine the value of new patents. digital processes for the protection of intel-
lectual property.
21. Do not accept any decision of your IP managers, pat-
ent attorneys, or innovation mangers that has not 25. Ensuring the protection of intellectual property
been made based on an AI-supported, intelligent is your raison dtre. Develop ways to ensure this
omni-IP platform. Train your experts accordingly. again, and specifically in the digitalized world.
The first to share will be the first to profit. 26. Establish an intelligent patent database with digital
Let go of the idea of exclusive usage in interfaces for companies. Offer quick application
favor of rapid development. Purposefully processes: Use intelligent software that autono-
share your intellectual property within mously analyzes and later even grants patents.
partnership frameworks in order to boost This will boost your speed and appeal.
your speed.
27. Do not view new protective mechanisms based on
22. The protection of intellectual property is over. technologies such as blockchain as a threat, but as
Sharing and releasing are the future. If you want to an opportunity. Be a pioneer of a digitalized IP man-
be successful in a connected world, share your intel- agement. The significance of blockchain technology
lectual property. Develop solutions together. will not be decreased if blockchain options are not
included in the legislation in that case legislators
23. Together with partners, create a blockchain-based would simply sever themselves from real develop-
alternative for conventional IPR that is quicker, more ments.
transparent, impossible to manipulate, and works
without middlemen. Do not try to be an essential 28. Analyze companies needs and adapt your processes
driver for the legislation here you have other accordingly. Be as individual and adaptive as the
options. companies are towards their customers needs.
Organizations that do not address individual needs
24. An intelligent omni-IP management system will also will lose significance in the future.
provide an interface to other companies. The AI will
negotiate user rights for your intellectual property
with your partners.
55
Imprint
IMPRINT
Publisher: License:
This trend study was published through the 2b AHEAD This text is available under the license Creative Com-
ThinkTank trend research institute in cooperation with mons/ Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0
Dennemeyer S.A. The responsible party concerning Unported (CC BYNC-SA 3.0) Details are described in the
press law is the Managing Director of the 2b AHEAD Conditions of Use: http://creativecommons.org/licens-
ThinkTank, Mr. Michael Carl. For questions, notes and es/by-nc-sa/3.0/legalcode
comments, please contact us by using the following
information:
Contact:
2b AHEAD ThinkTank GmbH The text of this study is available on the website of the
Research & Consulting 2b AHEAD ThinkTank at: http://www.future.consult-
Michael Carl ing/en/research/studies/trend-study/article/the-fu-
Spinnereistrae 7, Halle 20 ture-of-intellectual-property/
D-04179 Leipzig
Telefon: +49 341 12479610 For citations, the following citation method is rec-
Telefax: +49 341 12479611 ommended: Carl, M., Lbcke, M. (2017): The Future
E-Mail: michael.carl@2bahead.com of Intellectual Property. Trend study by the 2b AHEAD
ThinkTank. Leipzig. http://www.future.consulting
Published: 2017-04-25
Accessed: YYYY-MM-DD
Translated by: Anna Menth
Bildquellen Copyrights: Fotolia.com
page 1 / front page: page 14 / Trend area 1: page 39/ Trend area 4: Foto-
Fotolia_97870858 Fotolia_132886603 lia_141901582
Jakub Jirsk Fotolia.com Africa Studio Fotolia.com ra2 studio Fotolia.com
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iconimage Fotolia.com
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zapp2photo Fotolia.com page 24/ Trend area 2: + Fotolia_53527791
Fotolia_102342882 Odua Images Fotolia.com
page 8 / The Big Picture: Foto-
lassedesignen Fotolia.com
lia_77437963 page 50/ Epilogue:
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alphaspirit Fotolia.com Fotolia_138069274
Sergey Nivens Fotolia.com
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cristina_conti Fotolia.com page 53
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lia_100014053 Robert Kneschke Fotolia.com
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