Practical perspectives on IP strategy, licensing, and patent enforcement by Kai-Erik Elers. Browse the summaries by topic and follow the links to read the original posts on LinkedIn.
IP Strategy for Defense-Relevant Technology
Defense-related innovation can require early decisions about filing routes, confidentiality, and international research teams. This post reflects on a seminar discussing national-security constraints and the balance between patent protection, trade secrets, and commercialization.
The Wider Cost of Non-compete Agreements
Non-compete agreements can affect employees, employers, and the broader innovation economy. Drawing on personal experience, this post questions their impact on talent mobility and considers whether they support Finland’s long-term economic interests.
Managing Trade Secrets During Employee Departures
An employee’s resignation should not trigger a last-minute scramble to protect confidential information. This post explores how defined trade secrets, clear access practices, and regular training can help organizations handle transitions more confidently.
Trade Secret Training and Research Results
Employee training helps organizations recognize and manage potential trade secrets. This post explores questions raised during a VTT training session, including public funding, academic publication, and the initial classification of research results.
Trade Secrets and Prior User Rights
A confidential manufacturing process may later overlap with a competitor’s patent. This post explores a U.S. prior-user-rights scenario and why licensing trade secrets raises different questions from transferring or relying on those rights.
Licensing Trade Secrets Without Revealing Them
How can a customer evaluate know-how without seeing the confidential details? This post explores how descriptions, demonstrated benefits, and development effort can communicate the value of a trade secret while preserving its secrecy.
Protecting Trade Secrets in Practice
Trade secret protection requires more than keeping information confidential. This post explores identification, documentation, commercial value, and consistent protective practices, highlighting why organizations should review their approach before a dispute exposes weaknesses.
Trade Secrets or Patents?
Choosing between patents and trade secrets depends on how technology creates value and how infringement can be detected. This post explores manufacturing methods, protection costs, commercialization needs, and situations where process patents remain valuable.
Trade Secrets as Licensable Know-how
Trade secrets can become valuable business assets when they are identified and documented separately from public information. This post examines how better research reporting and knowledge management can support both protection and licensing opportunities.