IP Valuation in Deal Making: Emerging Assets and Opportunity

June 10, 2021

12:00 - 5:00 PM Eastern

Panelists representing a broad cross-section of the patent monetization ecosystem will share their diverse perspectives on various aspects of patent valuation. Key topics will include the role of context in valuation, frameworks used to assess value, the impact of valuation to guide deal structures, etc. To put the discussion in context, the panelist will try to share real-world examples of how they have applied these valuation frameworks on past deals to ensure successful outcomes.

• Moderator: Supreet Saini, Senior Vice President at Stout 
• Panelists:
  • Jerry Padian, Managing Director at Atlantic IP
    
  • Josh Meltzer, Managing Director at Woodsford
  • Eric Olsen, Exec VP and Head of Acquisitions at RPX
  • Scott Williams, VP, Licensing & Technology Ventures at GE

Data assets are now a key driver of corporate value.   Starting with software companies such as Facebook and Google, and proliferating into the automotive and other leading industries, data-centric innovation is rapidly reshaping the competitive landscape and has been fueled by advancements in the internet of things (IoT), autonomous systems, connected devices and vehicles, and artificial intelligence (AI).  The tremendous value of data is widely recognized, but navigating the complex minefield of ownership, protection and privacy issues can be crucial to effective data monetization and business survival.  This panel of experts will explore the state-of-the-art in data rights, data protection and licensing strategies, prevailing and emerging monetization business models, and perspectives from industry leaders in managing and leveraging data from internal sources, external users, and along the supply chain.  The panel will include an IP attorney specializing in data, privacy, and licensing matters, an IP valuation expert who is actively engaged in valuing data assets, as well as industry leaders with unique insights on optimizing data and its value.

• Moderator: Sam Wiley, Connected Innovation Intelligence Evangelist at PatSnap
• Panelists:
  • Efrat Kasznik, President, Foresight Valuation Group
  • Michael Fluhler, Managing Partner, Rocklaw PLLC
  • Hank Skorny, President of Aptiv Connected Services, Aptiv 
  • Shmuel Bulka, General Counsel, Americas for Refinitiv

Registration

LES Members - $69

Non-members - $99

Interested in a group rate for 3 or more attendees contact meetings@les.org for more information. 

Dan McCurdy, Chief Executive Officer 

Dan McCurdy is CEO of RPX Corporation, where he previously served as senior vice president from 2014 to 2016. Prior to RPX, Dan was a partner with Quatela Lynch McCurdy. From 2008 through June 2014, he was CEO of Allied Security Trust, and Chairman and CEO of PatentFreedom.  In June 2014, PatentFreedom was acquired by RPX. 

Previously, Dan was founding CEO of ThinkFire; President of Intellectual Property of Lucent Technologies and Bell Laboratories; a Vice President of IBM responsible for the creation of its Life Sciences business unit; a Vice President of Ciena Corporation where he directed merger, acquisition and corporate development; Director of Business Development for IBM Research; and Manager of Technology and Intellectual Property Policy for IBM worldwide. 

Dan graduated summa cum laude from the University of North Carolina.  He served on the Intellectual Property Policy committee of the United States’ National Academies, in 2011 was named CEO of the Year by Intellectual Property Magazine, and in 2014 was named one of the 40 most influential “movers and shakers” in IP transactions and acquisitions by Intellectual Asset Magazine.  He has been named in the IAM Strategy 300, honoring the leading 300 IP strategists worldwide, every year since the annual list has been published.

Supreet Saini, Senior Vice President at Stout 

Supreet Saini is an SVP at Stout’s IP Advisory & Transactions practice.  Mr. Saini has extensive experience in managing all aspects of patent and technology monetization ranging from strategy development to deal execution across broad high-tech markets such as computing, networking, semiconductors, software, telecom, and wireless. 

Prior to Stout, Mr. Saini was a senior member of the transactions team in Houlihan Lokey’s Tech+IP practice where he successfully executed deals generating hundreds of millions of dollars in value for clients. He also played a critical role in engaging the financial sponsor community to explore creative financing structures for deals involving patent and technology assets. 

Previously, Mr. Saini was a Director at ThinkFire Services, one of the earliest boutique patent advisory and brokerage firms in the US.  

Jerry Padian, Co-founder and Managing Director at Atlantic IP Services   

In 1998, Jerry co-founded Realtime Data LLC, an inventor-owned research and development company focused on data acceleration, compression, and synchronization; database management; and, streaming media.    

Building on Realtime’s success, Jerry co-founded Atlantic IP Services to manage companies with patented technologies in fields such as OLED displays and printing; touch controllers and sensors; NAND flash and cloud storage; power semiconductors; and, wireless charging.  These portfolios have been licensed to some of the world’s leaders in consumer electronics, computing, WAN acceleration, data streaming, and financial services, facilitating a return stream of revenue to the innovators to support the next generation of inventions.

Josh Meltzer, Managing Director at Woodsford

Josh Meltzer is the Managing Director, US for Woodsford Litigation Funding. Josh joined Woodsford from Rembrandt IP Management, where he served as Vice President of Business Development. Josh also held licensing roles at Intellectual Ventures Management and was a Partner at Foster Chamberlain, a business development group that works with large companies to commercialize new technologies. Previously, Josh was founder and CEO of Transportation Safety Systems, a company formed to commercialize a proprietary automotive safety technology. Josh also held roles at General Electric Company and GE Capital. Josh holds a BS in Finance from The University of Maryland, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. 

Eric Olsen, Executive Vice President, Acquisitions 

Prior to joining RPX, Mr. Olsen was the Vice President of Business Development, Legal and the Secretary of Aggregate Knowledge, a company developing advertising optimization solutions for Internet advertisers and advertising agencies. Prior to Aggregate Knowledge, Mr. Olsen worked at Intertrust Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ITRU, acquired by Sony and Philips) in a variety of positions, most recently as Vice President of Intellectual Property and Licensing. 

Prior to Intertrust, he was patent counsel for Cardeon Corporation, a medical device start-up company focusing on solutions for the bypass surgery market, and Zexel Innovation, a leader in the development of GPS navigational systems (acquired by Visteon Corporation NYSE: VC). 

Mr. Olsen holds a BS in Ecology and Systematic Biology from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and a JD from Santa Clara University. He is a registered Patent Attorney before the US Patent & Trademark Office and a member of the state bar of California.

Scott Williams, Vice President, Licensing and Technology Ventures, GE
President -Elect and Chair-Elect , LES

Scott is an accomplished executive in technology-based businesses with more than 20 years’ experience in commercial strategy, business development and licensing. Scott is currently Vice President, Licensing and Technology Ventures at GE. He previously served as Director, Licensing at InterDigital, a leading mobile technology R&D company.  Prior to joining InterDigital, Scott served as Director with Stout where he led the IP and technology transaction services practice area.  He also served as Vice President in the Strategic Business Development and Technology Commercialization business units of BTG plc, a British technology development and commercialization company.  Earlier in his career, Scott served as Director of Sales and Marketing for a start-up manufacturer of industrial computers and plant floor workstations.   

Scott is currently President-Elect and Chair-Elect of the Board for the Licensing Executives Society (USA and Canada). He has also been recognized as one of the world’s preeminent IP strategists in the IAM Strategy 300 published by IAM Media. Scott is a Certified Licensing Professional and a Certified Valuation Analyst . 

  

Sam Wiley, Connected Innovation Intelligence Evangelist,  PatSnap

Sam Wiley is a Connected Innovation Intelligence Evangelist dedicated to equipping the world’s business professionals, researchers, and creative minds with the tools and best practices to make better innovation decisions. Sam’s two decades of experience spans the entire innovation and IP ecosystem. Beginning as a patent examiner with the USPTO, Sam has since consulted on front-page news IP litigation, helped the world’s top companies and law firms align their IP strategies with business objectives, and presented as a thought leader across North America, Europe, and Asia. In recent years, Sam’s true passion has been innovation and IP intelligence, specifically the application of AI and machine learning to connect information that drives innovation, policy, and business decisions. 

Efrat Kasznik, President, Foresight Valuation Group

Efrat Kasznik is President of Foresight Valuation Group and a Lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Efrat is a Silicon-Valley based valuation and intellectual property expert with two decades of consulting experience, focusing on assisting IP holders across industries with the valuation and monetization of their intangible assets. She helps clients, ranging in size from Fortune 100 companies to start-ups, with IP and business valuations in support of licensing deals, IP and technology acquisitions, M&A transactions, tax reporting, strategic planning, and fundraising. She also frequently serves as a testifying expert in legal disputes involving IP and startup valuations and damages. Efrat is the immediate past-Chair of the High-Tech Sector, LES USA/Canada, and has been recognized as a top IP strategist on the IAM 300 list every year since 2013.

• Michael Fluhler, Managing Partner of Rocklaw PLLC

Michael T. Fluhler, Esq. is the Managing Partner of Rocklaw PLLC and an internationally recognized business, intellectual property and patent attorney.  He provides leading representation in all types of technology, data, digital asset, software, branding and international matters for clients in the cryptocurrency, software, digital health, medical devices, telecommunications, automotive, and aerospace industries.  His specialty areas include monetization, litigation, transactions, licensing, and optimization of asset value and competitive advantage.  Michael has served a variety of roles for LES including the High Tech Sector Chair, Annual Meeting Chair, and Michigan Co-Chair.  

Hank Skorny, President, Aptiv Connected Services

Hank Skorny is President of Aptiv Connected Services, a position he held since November 2018 . Mr. Skorny is responsible for Aptiv's connected vehicle services, edge computing, analytics and data as a service platform. 

Before joining Aptiv, Hank spent almost 30 years working at large software companies. Most recently he was senior vice president at Neustar where he focused on loT services for identity, security and data registries. Prior to Neustar, he was vice president of software services at Intel including loT platforms, secure compute environments and applications. 

Previously, Mr. Skorny was the CEO of mobile messaging startup, Thumbspeed Inc. until it was successfully acquired by Nokia. Earlier in Mr. Skorny's career, he directed product management,  marketing and development teams at Adobe Systems, Microsoft and Apple Computer. 

Shmuel Bulka, Former General Counsel, Americas for Refinitiy

Shmuel Bulka is the former General Counsel, Americas for Refinitiv, a leader in providing information, insights and technology that drive innovation and performance in global financial markets. Bulka managed a high-performing team of lawyers and professionals responsible for commercial contracting, strategic partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, and litigation in North and South America. His dedication to relationship-building and communication has been instrumental in the development of his team. A senior-level business leader, he prides himself on his abilities to develop unique solutions for both day-to-day and complex business issues. 

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