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17 January 2001
QED paves the way for licensing IP with Japan
QED, the intellectual property (IP) licensing arm of technology
development and licensing company Scipher
plc, today announced the opening of an office in Tokyo aimed at facilitating
the commercial exploitation of IP into and out of Japan.
Headquartered in the United Kingdom, QED has built up an impressive reputation
analysing, marketing and negotiating IP licensing deals for some of the world’s
leading technology companies, including Nortel, Telstra, BT and Marconi-Medical.
In doing so they have successfully created valuable new revenue streams from clients’
otherwise under-exploited assets.
QED is extending its world-wide coverage by establishing a direct presence
in Japan with the principal aim of encouraging Japanese companies to generate
new revenue through the focussed, proactive licensing of their IP portfolios.
A local presence will also assist QED to license into Japan IP belonging to its
other global clients. QED has already had success in this area by negotiating
licensing contracts with leading Japanese technology companies such as Furukawa,
Moritex and Mitsubishi.
In making this announcement, David Hulston, Managing Director of QED said,
“Japan is the world’s second largest IP producer, which is reflected
in the status of Japanese companies in international commerce. As IP management
and exploitation moves up the corporate agenda, QED is now well positioned to
support the global licensing aims of its clients.“
This statement is supported by figures compiled by the World Intellectual Property
Organisation (WIPO). With 20% of the world’s patent rights, Japan ranks second
in the world for patent ownership, behind the USA. Furthermore, Japanese companies
account for 5 out of the world’s top 10 IP producing companies and they own
a quarter of all patents granted by the US and European Patent Offices. They are
now increasingly keen to earn new revenue from these assets through licensing
them around the world.
QED’s new office is staffed by a Japanese team with over twenty years
experience in technology transfer and IP licensing, providing a perfect complement
to QED’s existing technical, commercial and legal IP expertise. It is the
latest step in QED’s efforts to develop the expertise and geographical presence
necessary to help companies maximise significant international IP licensing opportunities.
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