This course will teach what entrepreneurs need to know to secure and leverage the knowledge based assets of their business as intellectual property. The course begins with a survey of various intellectual property forms for inventions, original expressions, source identifiers/brands and confidential information etc. Through group case study, in class discussion and lecture we explore the decisions to pursue registering intangibles (if needed) as patents, copyrights, trade marks, or securing same as trade secrets or other forms of intellectual property. Methods for leveraging IP ownership to realize investment and or exit from the business are reviewed. Case studies examine contemporary challenges in consumer durables, AI & food, finance, health care and other start up contexts. There is an individual, take home case study assignment that serves as a final exam.

MMM students interested in this course should speak with MMM administrators before registering, as some material may be duplicated in DSGN-460.