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The next newsletter will cover the following topics:

IP portfolio monetization for mobile payments

Paymetrex’s newly announced licensing programme for its mobile payments IP portfolio is a timely reminder of how IP monetisation is evolving from an opportunistic activity into a structured business model. Across the fintech and mobile payments ecosystem, companies are increasingly treating their patent portfolios as revenue-generating assets rather than purely defensive tools. As digital payments infrastructure evolves and markets become more crowded, licensing programmes, cross-licensing frameworks, and IP portfolio valuation are becoming central levers for extracting value from past R&D investments and strengthening negotiating positions in competitive ecosystems.

Patenting the digital transformation of retail

Alpha Modus’ patent activity in the field of data-driven stationary retail highlights a broader trend: the digital transformation of physical retail is rapidly becoming an IP race. As retailers integrate computer vision, sensor technology, and AI-powered analytics into brick-and-mortar environments, the boundary between software, hardware, and data-driven services is dissolving. Companies are increasingly seeking patent protection for the technologies that enable automated checkout, in-store analytics, and personalised shopping experiences, turning innovation in retail operations into protectable and licensable assets.

Licensing as the bridge between biotech innovation and market access

SanegeneBio’s global licensing agreement with Genentech illustrates a broader industry reality: licensing has become the primary pathway for translating biotech breakthroughs into widely applied therapies. Smaller research-driven biotech companies are increasingly focused on early discovery and proof of concept, while large pharmaceutical partners provide the capital, regulatory expertise, manufacturing capacity, and global distribution needed for commercialisation. As R&D costs rise and development risks remain high, strategic licensing deals are becoming a central mechanism for moving innovations from the lab to the market.

Teaching young people IP awareness

The UK Intellectual Property Office’s guide “Protecting Your Creativity: A Guide for Students” reflects a growing global effort to raise awareness of intellectual property at an early age. As creativity, digital content creation, and entrepreneurship increasingly start in school environments, governments and institutions are recognising that young people need basic literacy in copyright, trademarks, patents, and design rights long before they enter the workforce. Teaching IP fundamentals early helps students understand ownership, respect others’ creations, and recognise the commercial potential of their own ideas in a digital economy where copying and sharing are effortless.

Resource Hub: The Live Webinar “The Positioning Shift: From Expert to Choice”

This free live session, part of the Independent by Design seminar series, shows how IP experts can position their expertise in a way that makes them a deliberate choice not just a capable option.

Narrative blocks: how IP experts turn positioning into communicable authority

The article explains how “narrative blocks” help IP experts turn their positioning into communicable authority. Many professionals struggle with visibility because traditional branding feels misaligned with the cautious, evidence-driven nature of IP work. Narrative blocks offer a structured way to codify how experts think, make decisions, and handle uncertainty, rather than simplifying or exaggerating their expertise. These reusable communication modules create strategic clarity and can be applied across meetings, profiles, and proposals. By making implicit expertise explicit without oversimplifying it, narrative blocks help IP professionals become more recognisable, trusted, and actively sought after.

Why Psychology and Strategy Together Determine the Success or Failure of Corporate IP

The article argues that successful corporate IP depends on combining psychological insight with robust strategy. IP often remains siloed because legal advice is not framed in business terms that resonate with decision-makers. To influence leadership, IP professionals must translate IP into impacts such as time-to-market, revenue protection, negotiation power, and freedom to operate. At the same time, companies need a clear IP strategy aligned with business goals to avoid risks like lost business opportunities, weak competitive positions, and inefficient R&D.

IP Design as a Leadership Tool

The podcast episode explains that innovation leadership increasingly depends on how organisations design and manage intellectual property. IP design is presented as more than legal protection; it is a strategic leadership framework that connects innovation activities with long-term business objectives. The episode discusses how leaders can embed IP thinking into innovation processes, including trend analysis, freedom-to-operate considerations, and customer-focused product development. By integrating IP early, companies can anticipate IP risks, position products more effectively, and navigate uncertainty. Overall, the episode highlights how IP design helps organisations foster innovation and build sustainable competitive advantage in the digital economy.

Novartis and PTC Therapeutics: A Licensing Deal for Huntington’s Disease Drug Development

This case study examines a major licensing agreement between Novartis and PTC Therapeutics for a Huntington’s disease drug candidate. The deal shows how biotech partnerships combine the agility and scientific focus of smaller research companies with the global development, manufacturing, and commercialisation capabilities of large pharmaceutical firms. Valued at up to $2.9 billion, the agreement distributes development responsibilities, aligns incentives through milestone payments and profit sharing, and illustrates how licensing structures help manage risk while accelerating the path from clinical development to worldwide market access.

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