Patent Intermediaries: ’New’ Actors in the Intellectual Property Market

Intellectual property rights are a key element in today’s knowledge economy. Specifically, the use of patents as transactional elements has become widespread. However, the market for patents possesses specific features that differentiate it from other markets. This book provides evidence for its existence and addresses its particular conditions. It also takes a deep dive into patent intermediaries, discussing how they emerged, their activity and business models, as well as their impact on market structure, firms, and societies.

Patent intermediaries participate in market transactions by offering various services and by bridging supply and demand of patents. In the last decades, some of them (so-called pejoratively ’patent trolls’) have become popular for their aggressive litigiousness. However, the activity and presence of patent intermediaries are much more significant. To enhance our understanding of the role of patent intermediaries, the authors provide a comprehensive review of the role of these agents in the Economy.

Mario Benassi is Full Professor of Management and Business Administration at the University of Milan (Italy), Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods. He is also one of the founders of the Milano School of Management. His main research areas include management of IP and new organizational forms. Benassi’s numerous publications have appeared in international leading journals.

Miryam Martin-Sanchez is a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Milan (Italy). She obtained her Ph.D., focused on patent intermediaries, at the University of the Balearic Islands (Spain). Her research analyzes how patent litigation influences firms’ strategies. Martin-Sanchez has visited Santa Clara University (USA), among other leading institutions.