Lately I’ve had the privilege of taking CleanTech PatentEdge for some test runs. CleanTech PatentEdge is a powerful clean tech patent database and research solution developed and offered by Berkeley patent analytics firm IP Checkups.
For me it has facilitated search and identification of relevant patents and published patent applications for a number of my blog posts and a few research projects.
Recently the folks at IP Checkups have started a blog of their own. The CleanTech PatentEdge Blog presents stories and trends based on green patent information from the database and highlights ways the database can be used.
More broadly, the blog shows how important patent strategy is in the clean tech industry and beyond. According to Lily Li, Patent strategist and Director of Marketing & Business Development at IP Checkups:
The goal of the CleanTech PatentEdge blog is to highlight the importance of patent strategy for non-patent experts. Most corporate executives ignore patent strategy, even though it plays a critical role in any business – whether it is to stay on top of the competition, make more informed R&D and investment decisions, or win the war for the best employees.
Some of the recent posts that caught my eye were this LED market forecast (over 100 US and WIPO patent apps directed to LEDs published on a single day, January 26, 2012 – it boggles the mind!), this piece on water technology trends and players, and a post on using an employee’s status as a named inventor on patents as an indicator of value for hiring decisions.
It’s great to have more green patent perspective in the blogosphere. especially when it’s supported by such interesting data. I look forward to many more stimulating posts.