Leica Camera AG has licensed a patent portfolio of Intellectual Ventures™ (IV) to strengthen the existing intellectual property (IP) strategy and position of Leica Camera.
- Intellectual Ventures is a privately-held invention capital company. IV builds a market for invention by making invention a profitable activity.
- It has more than $6 billion committed capital and more than 40,000 intellectual property (IP) assets in active monetization programs.
- IV licenses intellectual property portfolios to companies, individuals, and institutions.
C-suite (a.k.a. chief executive officers, chief operating officers and chief information officers) at successful, growing companies faces multiple challenges such as technological convergence, limited R&D (Research & Development) capacities, and fierce global competition.
The agreement provides Leica, the Wetzlar based manufacturer of cameras and sport optics products, with a license to IV’s patent portfolio of nearly 40,000 IP assets in more than 50 technology areas, including digital imaging.
IV’s patent expertise, IP assets, and invention capabilities span the IT industry and every discipline of science and technology, helping companies gain efficient access to a global source of invention rights.,
Together with our customers, Intellectual Ventures is Bridging the Invention Gap™ by significantly reducing liabilities and providing access to valuable invention rights.
The Invention Gap—the difference between the invention rights companies own and the intellectual property (IP) assets they use—represents a strategic risk and potentially substantial financial liability. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, over the past 15 years, the annual median damages award for patent litigation in the U.S. has ranged from $2.4M to $10.5M—with single initial judgments as high as $1.8B.
Intellectual Ventures (IV®)
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Here are the key benefits of licensing IV’s Patent Portfolio.
- IV is an efficient source of IP and is uniquely positioned to help customers mitigate risk and increase their IP potential through licensing IV’s assembled portfolio containing nearly 40,000 IP assets in active monetization programs.
- Everyone can use the interactive tool to locate patent assets by number*, title, or country.
- No longer deal with multiple patent owners; IV assembles the best available assets in the industry.
- With inventions in 50 technology areas—from Communications to Energy, Consumer Electronics to Materials Science, and Health Technologies to Semiconductors—IV can customize patent portfolio licenses for every technology sector.
- Avoid multiple business and legal costs, such as royalty stacking, through one licensing transaction.
- Reduce exposure to litigation and the toll it will take on a business through fees and business disruption.
- Lawsuits can be settled quickly and Intellectual Ventures’ customer is able to “continue focusing on its priority—taking care of its customers and innovating.”
- IV customers have access to value-added solutions designed to address short-term IP-related concerns while providing long-term leverage for their business success.
- Access to IV’s acquisitions channels to source and buy relevant IP.
- Leverage IV’s network of inventors to create new inventions.
- Extend R&D efforts through acquiring and outsourcing targeted invention.
- Monetize underutilized IP portfolio assets.
- Mitigate potential threats by collaborating on defensive strategies: Intellectual Ventures’ IP-for-Defense™ program.
- Intellectual Ventures’ patent experts identify patents in the Intellectual Ventures’ portfolio that could mitigate strategic risk for their customers.
Leica is also now a subscriber to IV’s IP-for-Defense™ program.
NEWS RELEASE
Leica Camera AG licenses Patent Portfolio of Intellectual Ventures
Leica Camera AG has licensed a patent portfolio of Intellectual Ventures™ (IV) to strengthen the existing intellectual property (IP) strategy and position of Leica Camera. The agreement provides the Wetzlar based manufacturer of cameras and sport optics products with a license to IV’s patent portfolio of nearly 40,000 IP assets in more than 50 technology areas, including digital imaging. Leica is also now a subscriber to IV’s IP-for-Defense™ program, a strategic defense tool for companies faced with the threat of patent litigation. Under this agreement, Leica can access patents from IV’s growing portfolio on an as-needed basis to protect its business.
“As one of the world’s most visible camera makers, we’ve long recognized the value of inventions that catalyze continued innovation and the ability to bring new products to market, said Alfred Schopf, CEO of Leica Camera AG. “IV is a key partner in helping us secure access to cutting-edge technologies and product innovations.”
The Leica Camera brand has a famous track record of innovation that dates back to the invention of the world’s first successful 35mm-format camera 100 years ago – the “Ur Leica” – heralded as the single most influential and imitated camera. Leica continues that visionary thinking today, regularly delivering new and innovative technologies to enable customers to take brilliant pictures in all situations, in the worlds of visualization and perception.
“Leica is the latest in a series of industry-leading brands to partner with IV to further their IP strategy,” said Cory Van Arsdale, senior vice president of Global Licensing at IV. “This relationship is yet another example of IV’s unique ability to provide companies such as Leica access to the innovations that will help them best meet their strategic business goals.”
About Intellectual Ventures
Founded in 2000, Intellectual Ventures (IV) is the global leader in the business of invention. IV collaborates with leading inventors, partners with pioneering companies and invests both expertise and capital in the process of invention. IV’s mission is to energize and streamline an invention economy that will drive innovation around the world.
About Leica Camera
Leica Camera AG is an internationally operating, premium-segment manufacturer of cameras and sport optics products. The legendary status of the Leica brand is founded on a long tradition of excellence in the construction of lenses. And today, in combination with innovative technologies, Leica products continue to guarantee better pictures in all situations in the worlds of visualisation and perception. Leica Camera AG has its headquarters in Wetzlar, in the state of Hesse in Germany, and a second production site in Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal. The company operates branch offices in England, France, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, South Korea, Italy, Australia and the USA. New and innovative products have been the driving force behind the company’s positive development in recent years.
