Special Topics in Innovation and Design

This course’s objective is to understand how tech entrepreneurs can best develop and manage intellectual property (IP) assets and integrate them into a successful business. The course will briefly describe different types of IP (copyright, trademark, patents, and trade secrets) and discuss their uses in technology companies. The course also will discuss best practices for developing, protecting, licensing, and enforcing IP rights. Best practices in avoiding infringement, and patent insurance and patent pool consortiums will be covered. The course further will discuss the pros and cons of using open source software and how angel and venture capital investors view IP. The course will leverage case studies, current events, and industry experts to provide practical, working knowledge in the use of IP assets as part of a successful business strategy.