An Introduction to Patent Monetization Resources For Corporations and Entrepreneurs

For corporations and entrepreneurs seeking to monetize their un- or under-utilized IP rights for the first time, it can be difficult to know where to begin. The patent monetization market is not yet mature and, as with other emerging marketplaces, no established methodologies and few experts exist to guide owners through the process. Today, there are as many as 17 different business models used. More will likely spring up as the market continues to evolve, even while some of the current models will certainly fall away. With such a range of options, it is not surprising that those seeking to sell their patent rights may be confused about what path to take. This article is intended to provide an overview of ways that corporate and individual IP owners can most effectively monetize their rights in today's market. The models discussed in this article were chosen because they are currently the most common. Significantly, due to the great variability in patents and the individual needs of IP owners, the best model for a particular person or organization might actually one that is not discussed here.  Nonetheless, it is hoped that after reading this, a corporation or entrepreneur seeking to sell their rights for the first time will be better able to understand and execute on the opportunities and challenges present today in the patent monetization market.

Thinking of Selling a Patent Directly to a Corporation Without an Intermediary? Forget About It Most IP owners assume that it is possible to sell their rights directly to a company that might play or seek to play in the product or technology space covered by the patent. This is rarely the case, however. When I was employed as a senior attorney in a consumer products company, it was corporate policy to reject all unsolicited offers to purchase or license patents that came into the organization. Thus, an owner did not stand a chance to get their rights sold to my company. This absolute prohibition on unsolicited ideas is not the policy at all companies, but, in truth, few companies today actively seek to acquire products and technology from outside sources (although this is starting to change with the drive toward open innovation at many companies). Thus, even if a patent is a perfect fit for a company's offerings, most organizations will nonetheless prefer to pass on a purchase opportunity because external acquisition is not part of their technology development model. It is therefore doubtful that most patent owners can hope to successfully sell their rights directly to a corporation because the latter is not in the business of buying patents generally, and specifically not from individual owners.

  Aggregators: Buyers of Patents if a Patent Owner Can Get a Foot in Their Door In recent years, companies have emerged that hold business models centered on the buying of patents held by others. Well known aggregators today include Intellectual Ventures, RPX and Allied Security Trust. Each of these companies has a different reason that it seeks to acquire patents, but each can serve as a great resource for owners seeking to sell their IP rights in certain technology areas. Nonetheless, there are many more patent owners seeking to sell their rights than existing aggregator buying opportunities. As a result, if an owner obtains a "no" answer, how does he know it is because his patent is worth nothing to the aggregator or whether it's because he did not know the right person to get his rights in front of at the aggregator company? For most IP owners, especially those participating in the monetization market for the first time, patent aggregators will not serve as a likely direct purchaser of their rights.  

Brokers: Facilitors of Patent Sales, For a Price Brokers such as ThinkFire, IPotential and IP Transactions Group can assist IP owners in presenting their patent to a likely buyer, the most likely of which are patent aggregators, non-practicing entities ("NPE's") and, sometimes, corporations. By leveraging their relationships and reputations, brokers effectively serve as "filters" for potential patent acquirers to streamline and improve the quality of patent buying opportunities.  Put simply, patent buyers trust their patent brokers to "separate the wheat from the chaff" to make it easier for them to identify and act on good patent buying opportunities.  A broker who is trusted by a patent buyer can thus present the latter with a buying opportunity that the buyer would not have given a second glance to if the same patent had been offered to them outside of the broker-buyer relationship.   There is a substantial cost to hiring a broker, however--typically about 25 % of the total sale price. Patent brokers also require exclusivity. Thus, when a patent owner selects a particular broker to represent him in the sale, he must trust that the broker will find the best deal. I nonetheless believe that the knowledge and expertise available with a good broker can allow a patent owner to obtain a final purchase price for his rights that more than justifies the broker fee. In particular, the best brokers maintain a large network of potential purchasers of patents, including aggregators, NPE's and, in some cases, corporations that have expressed an interest in buying third party IP rights.  

I believe such broad networks serve a critical function in improving the efficiency of the monetization market by possibly raising the final purchase price.  When a patent is offered through a quality broker, he will ensure that each party participating in the process also knows who else is being offered the opportunity. Such transparency could also result in an increase in the final purchase price when one potential purchaser seeks to ensure that another potential purchaser not acquire that same right. For example, a corporation might increase its offer to prevent an NPE from obtaining that patent for the purpose of bringing suit against the corporation. This scenario means that those most interested in acquiring the patent will bring their best offer to the table, a fact which should improve the final price paid.   A further benefit of selling through a good broker is that they will typically conduct market analysis of the rights to set a rationally-based entry level price. Specifically, the broker will set the price based upon what comparable patents have been sold for in the past. These figures normally are not public, so a broker with several sales under his belt will likely set a more accurate initial sale price by virtue of the fact that he is privy to information that allows him to do so. Notably, even an experienced broker might incorrectly estimate the likely floor price, but when the patent is offered to many likely buyers, the market will typically act to reset the price to one more acceptable to potential buyers.    

Beware of Finders Who Say They are Brokers A significant problem with many people who hold themselves out as patent brokers is that some are not "brokers" at all. Rather, they are "finders" for aggregators or other buyers of patents such as NPE's (but likely not corporations). Like regular brokers, these finders maintain relationships with likely buyers. When accepting a patent for sale to a potential buyer, the finder likely already knows whether it will be purchased by its contact. In this scenario, the finder actually does little to earn his 25% fee other than maintain a relationship with the ultimate purchaser. Moreover, many of these brokers actually "double dip" because they obtain a fee from the purchaser for bringing the opportunity to them, as opposed to another potential buyer. The finder thus might hold divided loyalties: should they try to maximize the price obtained for his client's patent when they might never see an opportunity from that seller again, or should they keep the price reasonable so they don't ruin their relationship with their buyer to whom they might bring several buying opportunities to each year?   Clearly, this scenario is rife with questionable ethics, but the reality of the current monetization market is that no licensing is required for someone to call himself a "patent broker," and the rule is definitely "buyer beware." As things stand in today's unregulated broker market, the best way to find a quality patent broker is to seek referrals from someone who understands the market and/or who has successfully sold patents through a broker in the past.   

Patent Auctions: Selling in the Open to the Highest Bidder The final common vehicle for selling patent rights is the public auction setting. Today, the most prevalent auction is conducted by Ocean Tomo, which currently holds 2 auctions each year. Ocean Tomo is very selective about what patents it takes into each auction, a fact that limits the ability of many patent owners to participate in this model. Ocean Tomo obtains a fee from the seller and the buyer, and it is my understanding that the net fee amounts to approximately 25 % paid to the auction house. While I have not personally been involved in an auction, I have heard mixed things from people who have participated as both buyers and sellers in these auctions. My sense is that an auction allows one to sell his patent in a transparent setting where the price is set by competitive bidding. This can be good when a patent is desired by multiple parties who are influenceable by the "heat" of a public auction process to increase their bids to result in a higher price for the seller.   In my view, one downside of the open auction process is that all participants know the price being offered, a fact that can lead to a lower final sale price if a patent does not garner excitement from the participants. This view was borne out in the most recent (April 2009) Ocean Tomo auction which was almost universally considered a failure. Buyers were lacking and, as a result, not only did few patents sell, the tenor of the auction itself was said to be very quiet and unexcited. This lack of enthusiasm from the auction participants no doubt reduced the overall success of the auction itself.   In contrast, in a private auction--such as that effectively set up when a quality broker sells a patent into a large network of potential buyers--the lack of transparency can result in a higher final price because the participants know who has been provided the opportunity to purchase but not the amount they have offered (if at all). A further possible downside to a public auction is that one can only sell his patent to someone who shows up to participate in the auction. With a broker-conducted private auction, however, someone who may not actively be seeking to buy a patent at that time will be presented with the opportunity to buy. Thus, the number of potential buyers can be expanded with the use of a broker.  

It's as Clear as Mud Now, Right? As noted at the outset of this article, the IP monetization market is only just now emerging as a viable way to obtain value from un- or under-utilized assets. In view of this, most patent owners just starting into will be confused about how to proceed in a manner that maximizes the price obtained. If one owns patent rights and seeks to sell them today, it is my recommendation that he learn as much as possible about the process. And, as with many business situations, checking references and seeking recommendations from those with experience as patent sellers and counselors to IP owners will be critical to success in monetization.  Personally, I am looking forward to the day when more openness exists in the marketplace so that patent owners can better gauge the quality and qualifications of those participants in the process.               

Obama Scholarships to Educate Mothers

If you are a mother who had to give up your dream of higher education due to raising a family, and always kept that dream in the back of your head but your tight schedule or lack of funding kept you from pursuing schooling, President Barack Obama has your answer.

He is offering education money to these women to go after their dreams. The aid, in the form of $10,000 scholarships, is meant for stay-at-home moms, single mothers and other women who want to go back to school. Now is the time to take advantage of the funding because it will not last forever, and money is even tighter during this economic recession. With this grant, the mom doing the studying will not have to work while going to school because the education will be paid for.

Busy schedules are always an issue with mothers, but online education is available, which definitely frees up time that would be spent on the commute to and from class. If you are an American woman, then you qualify for the grant, which does not have to be paid back like a student loan. Any recent college graduate would be envious.

If you are wondering how going back to school will be beneficial, there are numerous ways. The education will give you the skills necessary to enter a career you may have been wanting to enter, and you will be able to bring in more income to support your family. You also will feel more confident in yourself. Just think how nice that new diploma will look in one of your rooms, and how great you will feel as you are heading off to your first day at a new job. Your children also will look up to you, and hopefully will want the same for themselves in the future.

College Scholarships - Get Easy Scholarships To Pay For College

Money is very hard to come by in this economy and should not be wasted. And a college education is a requisite to generate tons and tons of money from good employment later in life. That is why most of those who could afford it send their children to college. And many who have difficulty make student loans in order to get a degree or a technical diploma. But loans need to be paid and will burden the graduates for several years until their salary scale goes higher and paying their debts can naturally fold into the salaries that they receive. But that is a long shot after graduation.

Avoid the kind of misery other graduates are now going through by getting easy scholarships instead of a student loan. You might be shaking your head in disbelief, since you are not a straight "A" student. Straight "A"s get academic scholarships, no big deal. But students like you and me who aren't have tons of other scholarships out there to gun for. And the free money that you will have to finance your college education is worth the try.

How much free money can you have from easy scholarships? The answer is it all depends on you. There is no legal limit to the number of scholarships that any student can apply for. You can apply for federal, state and local scholarships given by government, business, not for profit organizations and the schools themselves!

Schools now are in competition over which has the bigger number of enrollees, so many of them take on average students as scholars. Those who show the potential of finishing their college education are many times preferred since it will ensure that money or support granted will not go to waste. You just have to show strong interest by applying and making sure that all documents and requirements are complied with.
College scholarships are not just for fresh high school graduates.

Current college students who are having a hard time keeping themselves in school due to family financial difficulty can always turn on these college funds and support themselves all through graduation. Do not let lady luck run out of your by waiting at the wayside for good things to come. Pursue easy scholarships by applying for several of them so you have all the cash that you need to fulfill all school requirements without breaking a sweat.

Well, you will break a lot of sweat to find all scholarships, but it will be more than worth the effort since what it ensures is an education that will make you qualified for a better paying job at the work that you love. Go apply for college scholarships now.

Where Can I Apply For Left Hand Scholarships For College?

Extra money for college is always greatly appreciated by those who have to struggle to find enough funds to attend. There are so many scholarships available for students, not only through the schools they graduate from, but through organizations and universities themselves. If you've ever wondered, "Where can I apply for left hand scholarships?", then the information below is for you. There actually is a college in Pennsylvania that offers just this type of scholarship to college bound southpaws.

It's been estimated that only eleven percent of the population are dominant in their left hand. This doesn't only include tasks that include writing, but all aspects of living; cooking, sweeping, cutting carrots, or brushing one's teeth. Famous people among this group include Babe Ruth, Albert Einstein, Picasso, and previous presidents of the United States such as Clinton, Garfield, and Reagan. Left-handed people are considered to be more artistic than right-handed people, despite just the opposite belief in the past.

Long ago, being left-handed was looked down upon, even children who displayed this characteristic were forced to learn to write with their right hand. In the area of athletics, often a left-handed person is a prize to have on the team. It even appears to be a good thing when applying for scholarships, at least at Pennsylvania's Juniata College. Mary Francis Buckley began this scholarship program in 1979 and has helped more than 40 students with their college education.

This program provides money to southpaws that will be attending Juniata College for one year or more. There is an application to fill out and one of the requirements is that the person applying for the scholarship must be left-handed. It is always good to have at least a few references that can vouch for your left-handedness.

Other qualifications are strong leadership skills and exceptional academic performance with a grade point average of 3. 39 or higher.

The amount of the scholarship ranges between $1,000 and $1,500 and is available to go towards books, food, tuition fees, and any other aspect of school. With one of the main focuses of this grant being on the ability to be a strong leader, it is a good idea to make sure these skills are fully developed before applying. There are always training courses available on leadership, or clubs and organizations to join in school.

It is known that good followers often make good leaders, which is where joining school sponsored clubs comes in. By coming up with ways of how to contribute to the organization or motivate others in the group, this will help with your leadership skills. Being an excellent motivator is the first step in becoming a successful leader. Another quality that is important in a leader is the ability to accept input from others and being an overall good listener.

With leadership comes the need to be a good role model as well. You can't expect people in the group to follow you with confidence if they are doubting your intentions. By displaying great leadership qualities, a high grade point average and, of course, left-handedness, you will no longer have to wonder, "Where can I apply for left hand scholarships?" Juniata College has the ability to assist you with your goal of attending college.

Grants For International Students - Some Basic Rules

There are many things that you need to prepare before you apply for a grant for your education. Some basic steps that can make you are sure of getting the grants should be followed for you to get the grant in one go.

To begin with the academic certificates and transcripts should be ready. You need to decide early that is the study area where you want to focus on. If you prefer a course based study then you do not need a proposal but for research you need a research proposal.

Your research proposal should be good enough to tempt the granter that their money would not be at waste. And to make a good research proposal you need to devote time and energy.

This research proposal should include background, objectives, problems or questions to answer, hypothesis, mythology and references. Once you are done with the basic requirements you can always ask for the suggestion of others.

Once you are ready with research proposal you should concentrate on the letter from intended university and supervisor. Download the university form from the website and fill it before sending it back to the university.

The university in response will issue you a letter of acceptance. You can write in the form that you are waiting for a scholarship which you are now struggling for and that you would get admitted to the specific program once you get the scholarship that is the next year. In this case they would issue you a conditional acceptance and would keep doing so until you get the scholarship.

You also need to find an academic staff who would supervise you in the university. Thus you need to find a potential supervisor for yourself and this should be done before you fill in the admission form.

Get the supervising staff's email address and contact him/her. Tell him/her everything about your academic background and your research proposal in detail and ask if he/she is ready and available to supervise you.

A letter from the university and the supervisor can also be added with your application form for the scholarship. This increases your chance of getting the scholarship.

Search Out Academic Excellence Scholarships

Youngsters know that they can not get knowledge without hard word and resources. This is an age of competition and if you want to get a doctoral degree then it is essential for you to apply for a scholarship. If you are interested in the doctoral degree then you should have awareness how you can find an academic excellence scholarships.

Whenever you are thinking going for your doctor in biology you have to think about every pound you spend. Getting a PhD degree, like a doctor in biology of specific field is expensive. Whenever you need money for this purpose a scholarship is a best option. You can get money from other sources like student loan but these but these are not free and companies charge interest on these loans. Many students are not interested in academic excellence scholarships because in their opinion scholarships are only for those students who have excellent academic record. But I totally disagree with this concept. Good academic record or high C GPA is not a single requirement for getting a scholarship. Other talents like Athletic ability also consider. There are a lots of scholarships that are available on the basis of ethnicity. But majority of the students are not aware of this fact that there are many scholarships that are based on the ethnicity and language. Those who are interested in the higher education can enjoy this opportunity. However these scholarships are merit based.

Following are the two main categories of scholarships for minority students.
1 Ethnic scholarship
2 Non ethnic scholarships

You can increase your academic excellence scholarships search ability by following the guidelines given below.

1 You should for more than one scholarship
2 Search academic excellence scholarship from various sources.
3 Start in junior year of school.
4 Apply before deadline.
5 Write a thriller essay.
6 If an essay is required than you can submit an essay than you can submit an essay that you have already submitted in other college.
7 Look for academic excellence scholarships offer by many multinational organizations because these contain heavy amounts.
8 Even if you have not good academic record submit an application for a scholarship.
9 Prior to closure of admission apply for a scholarship
10 some scholarship not requires specific age.

Scholarship money is directly submitted to your college that is provide to you on the basis of good academic record, extra curriculum activities, or it can be combination of both. These scholarships come from different sources and there are certain limitations imposed on these scholarships.

Average high school soccer player are not allowed to play at the college level. Competition level is very high at college level and if you are interested to play at college level then talent is necessary. Some students have a very good academic record that they have no other abilities like athletics. You should be good athlete because it is a key factor that determine the success at this level.

Another source of academic excellence scholarships is a need based scholarship. Academic records also consider in need based scholarship but financial need is a primary factor. These can be offer from schools, business organization or granted through a private endowment. Those who have less than $100000 income per year are eligible to apply for these scholarships. Don't hesitate if your parents have a higher income you should apply because you do not know what criteria they set.

You should apply for every scholarship either it is small or big. Little scholarships also add up your balance if you win several scholarships.

Community College Scholarship Opportunities for Financial Aid Funding

When looking for a way to go to school without all of the expenses, you will want to check out all of the scholarship opportunities available. Chances are your local community college has a scholarship program that you will be able to apply to. Kirkwood Community College is just one of those schools. Each year they give out $1 million in scholarship funds to those students that qualify. All you have to do is fill out an application that asks you a variety of questions. These are meant to assess your financial need as well as your academic achievements and intentions.

Some community colleges are more likely to give scholarships to those students who demonstrate a passion for certain fields of work such as science and criminal justice. These are two areas which students will not have a difficult time finding money for when it comes to earning a degree. There are certain times of the year that you will be required to apply, which is important to take into consideration. Knowing when to apply will help you to get the scholarship at the right time so you can get earning your degree as soon as possible without having to pay all of the costs associated with it.

The great thing about community college scholarships is that they are open to just about everyone from all walks of life, so no matter what you at least have a chance. Glendale Community College in California is yet another school that offers scholarships to students who qualify each year. There are some requirements that you must meet in order to receive funds for this scholarship and many others, such as your overall GPA. For this particular scholarship you need to have a GPA of at least 2.5 or higher. You will also need to write an essay of a personal nature which will be used to assess whether or not you qualify for these funds.

Be prepared to meet these kinds of requirements, because almost all scholarships have them. They do have strings attached, so you will have to keep up your grades and make sure that you use the funds given appropriately or else they may be withdrawn. Some scholarships are dependent on whether or not you are going into a specific area of study. Some of them are being funded more than others right now, so it would be a good idea for you to take a look at which ones you have the best chance of getting scholarship money for.

Reasons Why You Need to Search and Apply For College Scholarships Today

After the academic year starts, many college students stop worrying about how to pay for college and focus on their course work and making the most of being a college student. However, taking a break from looking for college funding may cost you because the application deadlines for many college scholarships for the next academic year begin as early as November.

Doing a quick search at my university, I found that 13 national scholarship deadlines are in November alone. This is only a small list and does not include university scholarships or those offered by other institutions or individuals, which could be several hundred scholarships with deadlines in November alone. Add to this those expiring in December and you can see that it's to your benefit to start looking an applying for scholarships today.

Expiration dates are not the only reason to start searching for college scholarships. You also need time to complete the application forms. This may include writing an essay, getting transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation and other documentation. The process takes time; transcripts and test scores may need to be requested and sent, writing a decent essay takes time and revision, and letters of recommendation need to be written by professors who may already have a full schedule and limited time. You should give yourself about 6 weeks to complete the process in order to fulfill all the requirements of the application. A rush job is not the best way to apply for scholarships.

The point is, start looking early to set yourself up for as many scholarships you might be eligible for. The longer you put it off, the less money you may get for college funding next year.

Top 10 Acupuncture Scholarships and Grants

The following list includes the top 10 acupuncture scholarships and grants, which any current or prospective student of this healing art should consider:

The Academic Achievement Award Scholarship at the National College of Natural Medicine: New students at this school in Portland, Oregon can apply for scholarships ranging from $1,500 to $2,500 based on an application and essay.

American Specialty Health Scholarship: The nation's leading complimentary health care benefits organization has designed a scholarship to help students further their studies for future alternative healing careers. Students in acupuncture, massage, chiropractics, dietetics and other alternative and holistic programs with at least a 3.0 GPA can receive $4,500 or $7,500.

Charlotte McGuire Scholarship Program: This program consists of two awards for holistic nursing students who have at least a 3.0 GPA and are members of the American Holistic Nursing Association.

The Dr. Michael and Marlene Nissenblatt Scholarship: First and second year post-graduate students in acupuncture, herbology, traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine who plan on bringing the human spirit and touch to their practice may apply for this scholarship.

The Dr. Pedro Rivera Scholarship: Holistic veterinary students who plan on practicing acupuncture can receive a financial award if their essays are chosen.

The Dr. Richard Kearns Scholarship: A financial award from the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association for holistic veterinary students based on responses to essay questions.

Herbal Time Scholarship: This $1,500 scholarship is awarded to bright and passionate MSTOM students from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine each year.

Jade Dragon Scholarship: One Pacific College of Oriental Medicine student with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA will receive $1,000 for this scholarship.

Nuherbs Scholarship: This is a $2,000 scholarship awarded to Pacific College of Oriental Medicine students by Nuherbs Co. in order to further the development of Chinese Medicine.

Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Scholarships: This Los Angeles, California school that offers Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine provides several scholarship opportunities, including the $1,500 Yo San Scholarship for new students who already have a bachelor's degree, and the Master Ni Scholarship based on leadership and scholastic achievement.

How to Apply For the Scholarship For Mothers Program of the Obama Administration

Applying for a study-grant under the Scholarships for Mother Program of the present administration is as easy as counting 1-2-3. Literally, let's begin with one. Contact a financial aid office near you, or via online. Ask for the study-grant options that will work for your situation.

Then two, select the right academic program for you. Note that you can also check out your chances of employment after finishing your study. The scholarship for the mother program will not do job placement for you. So you should be wise in your choice of field of study. In addition to this, while choosing a field of study; include also the delivering institution associated with the scholarship program.

Three, apply for this study-grant. Contact a government financial aid office online or via the phone. Ask for requirements for a specific study-grant that interest you. There are also home-based study grants that can be availed. This kind of program will work for mothers with little kids to attend. If you are this type, then start from here.

It is important that before asking for help from a financial aid office you are already sure of what scholarship program works for you. Remember that you have kids or husbands to consider. Because the scholarships for mothers program have varied study-grants, each will have specific requirements. Hence the importance to be decided which one to avail.

Because the program is for mothers, a top requirement is being one. It does not matter if you are a single mother or with a spouse/partner. Age is not also a hindrance, if finishing high school is the need, then this is the one to be funded. This situation can also lead to receive further grant for a college degree.

There is no limit as to how many study grants can be availed, besides getting them at the same. This means that, one may avail of the study-grant for a particular field of study. Then another study-grant for another field of study, and so on, but should be done subsequently.

Therefore, to be an eligible top on the list is, you should be a mother, American citizen or legal resident. Then you are eligible for the scholarships for mothers program. Then availing them will be as easy as saying 1-2-3!

Military Spouse Scholarship

A military spouse scholarship allows the husband or wife of active or retired military personnel to gain financial assistance for further education.

These scholarships exist to acknowledge the service and sacrifice given by military members and their families which can often make it difficult financially for any family member to attend college or university.

By getting a scholarship, a spouse of someone in the navy, army, air force, Marines or other armed force can forget about taking out an expensive student loan and instead gain money from a scholarship that does not have to be paid back.

The benefits of a military spouse scholarship are numerous and include:

You don't have to pay the money back
The money can be used on education related expenses
Often your entire tuition fees can be paid for

If you've thought about attending college but have been put off by the cost, then consider applying for a scholarship that is particularly tailored for spouses of military personnel.

You have sacrificed so much seeing your other half serve for the country. Those long days and nights with your loved one away in combat is an incredibly worrying time. You may be left thinking how you can better life for both you and your family and the best way to do that if by undertaking further education so that you can gain qualifications and a well paying job that will assist your family in the future.

A military spouse scholarship is the very best way for someone whose husband or wife has or is actively serving in the armed forces to get the money required for college or university - after all, if anyone deserves it you do!