Who We Are and What We Can Do
IP*SEVA stands for Intellectual Property for Sustainable Energy Ventures. We are intellectual property experts committed to using our skills and contacts to help sustainable energy and environmental technology companies succeed.
Intellectual property is crucial for technology companies. Our focus is how intellectual property can be used to increase profits, enhance bargaining power in negotiations, and penetrate international markets.
Lack of attention to IP in the formative stages of a technology company, or when entering into research and development or other types of technology collaborations, often results in serious damage to a business with a long term negative effect.
Our experience shows that specific contractual and practical arrangements are decisive for the success of all types of technology collaborations, including but not limited to research and development collaborations, technology transfer, licensing, infrastructure projects and delivery of complete industrial plants and equipment. Provisions relating to access to rights in results, whether pre-existing or generated during the term of the collaboration, as well as responsibilities, liabilities, warranties, indemnities (or their limitation or – partial or complete – exclusion) are of key importance.
IP*SEVA provides services in both domestic and international transactions. Our principals have unique expertise and contacts to facilitate transactions between parties in industrialized economies and parties in emerging and developing economies. In view of this, we have developed the IP*SEVA Model to facilitate the dissemination and development of sustainable energy technologies in these vital new markets.
Who we Serve
IP*SEVA serves clients in the field of Sustainable Energy and Environmental Technologies. This comprises inter alia technologies relating to photovoltaics, solarthermal, wind energy, hydro energy, wave, tidal, geothermal, hydrogen, fuel cell, waste to energy, biomass, energy efficiency, water management and purification, and further future oriented technologies.
We cater to the following client base:
- Small and medium-sized companies
- Technology spin off companies from research institutions
- Technology companies of any size that wish to expand their markets, especially to emerging and developing countries
- Universities, research institutions, development banks, and governments that require IP strategy consulting, training and/or project services
Competences and Strengths
Overview of Services Offered
- We help you develop an IP strategy to increase profits and expand markets.
- We conduct IP audits and due diligence investigations to assess IP asset strengths and weaknesses.
- We call on our global network to help your technology get international reach.
- We structure and negotiate technology agreements of all types.
- In international technology infrastructure projects, we help draft and negotiate contracts and related documentation to assure effective and results-based technology transfer.
- For small to medium sized enterprises in the sustainable energy and environmental technology domain, we provide a suite of basic legal services related to IP to help clients get started with a solid legal foundation.
- We offer intellectual property education programs, especially training workshops and practical seminars on intellectual property, in particular patents, and technology contract negotiation.
In detail:
For Companies:
Most small and medium sized technology companies are faced with multiple challenges: obtaining funding, getting their technologies developed, and getting to market are foremost. They are often engaged in lengthy contract negotiations with highly experienced potential partners, suppliers, and customers. In addition, companies want to avoid IP disputes with third parties, employees and consultants. Our services address these challenges directly:
- We draft and negotiate a wide range of IP and technology agreements, including technology licenses, patent licenses, research and development collaboration, confidentiality, OEM, manufacturing, strategic alliance, joint venture, and distribution agreements. We help our clients prepare for negotiation by defining terms and conditions and assessing relative bargaining power based on IP assets of both parties. We develop a strategy to get the best deal. We create a negotiation schedule to help stalled negotiations get on track.
- We identify and contact partners for development collaborations, especially international partners who seek joint development, patent licenses, and joint ventures in key new energy and environmental technologies. Joint development funds combined with consulting fees and licensing fees can provide a timely infusion of income for small companies that are near the valley of death. In addition, foreign partners can help companies expand into new markets.
- We advise on IP and licensing strategy including IP audit, how to build a patent portfolio, how to use trademarks, service marks and certification marks in branding, how to package software and other copyright works for licensing, how to protect IP in foreign countries, valuation of IP, and patent search for competitive analysis.
- We work with new companies to set up basic IP functions including employee and consultant contracts, non-disclosure agreements, invention disclosure forms, know-how protection and trade secret measures, etc.
- We have a global network of general and specialized law firms to support and assist with local expertise, in particular for patent, trademark and other industrial property right applications and prosecution, in merger and acquisition cases as well as litigation.
For Governments and Research Institutions:
- In addition to the above-mentioned items which are also relevant for transactions involving governments and research institutions, here in particular the IP*SEVA Model becomes relevant in international projects involving partners from developing countries, emerging economies and industrialized countries.
- We consult on IP strategy and its practical implementation.
- We help develop requests for quotation and proposals in the context of technology infrastructure and clean development mechanism (CDM) projects to maximize the opportunities for technology transfer, training and reciprocal IP licenses.
Geographical Reach
Our offices are located in Asia (Tokyo, Japan), Europe (Backnang (near Stuttgart), Germany) and North America (Los Angeles, California, USA). However, we work with clients in many different geographical areas and travel frequently. We have a global network of business relationships in North America, Europe, Japan, Korea, China, Southeast Asia, India, Arab Countries, Latin America and Africa. These relationships were forged in our previous international work and are based on mutual respect, commitment to sustainable energy and environmental technologies, and understanding of the value of technology exchange in a changing global business environment.
We are proactive. Upon request, we help clients find international partners for technology, licensing and development projects, then work to find common ground so that the deals get done.
Our Commitment
We are driven by the urge to make a contribution, be it small, to the huge problems to be solved in the fields of sustainable energy, climate protection and environment.
We are committed to using our skills and contacts to help sustainable energy and environmental companies, institutions, organizations and other entities succeed.
Our Experience
We are highly experienced experts and have had decades-long practice in industry, private legal practice, government and regional and international organizations, involving partners from industrialized countries, emerging economies, and developing countries alike. We are willing, competent and qualified to make a most meaningful contribution in the crucial field of Intellectual Property.
For details of our past experience please refer to the attached CVs.
Separate Offices
Cynthia Cannady and Bertram Huber operate their own independent legal practices in their relevant jurisdictions, USA and Germany. Naoto Kuji, Japan, performs his own independent consulting work. Through their collaboration in IP*SEVA they are committed to the same goals. They cooperate closely in the best interests of their respective clients.
IP*SEVA stands ready to work with Clients in private enterprise, scientific institutions and government organizations to help achieve optimized results for technology collaboration projects.