CHICAGO--()--The Intellectual Property Exchange International Inc. (IPXI), the world’s first financial exchange that facilitates non-exclusive licensing and trading of intellectual property (IP) rights with market-based pricing and standardized terms, announced today that its membership has grown to 27 organizations. Among the 21 new members that have joined since December 2011 are leading innovative companies with significant IP assets representing a variety of technology markets, university research institutions ranking in the top 20 in the world, and top U.S. national laboratories. Eight of the new members join IPXI as Founding Members.
New Corporate Founding Members include Ford Global Technologies, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Ford Motor Company and Sony Corporation of America, the U.S. subsidiary of Sony Corporation. They join Philips Electronics, Com-Pac International and MetaPower, Inc.
New University Founding Members include the University of Notre Dame and the Regents of the University of California, and the University of Chicago joins IPXI as a new University Member. They join Northwestern University, Rutgers University and the University of Utah.
Three Department of Energy national laboratories - Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory - each join IPXI as Laboratory Founding Members.
In addition, 12 companies, including several leading IP law firms, have joined IPXI as Associate Members. “The community of associate member companies will play a critical role in the IPXI quality vetting process, which includes internal and external diligence to help ensure that high-value patents are brought to market,” explained Gerard J. Pannekoek, President and CEO of IPXI.
The mission of IPXI is now being further pursued, as a growing number of corporate, university, and laboratory IP-owners are working collaboratively to create a central platform, and Rulebook for efficient and transparent licensing and technology transfer.
“It is important that IPXI is built on consensus,” Pannekoek commented. “The inefficiencies in traditional bi-lateral licensing are not exclusive to any one industry or type of IP owner. These companies are coming together for the first time to develop a new paradigm and Rulebook that we believe will have a tremendous positive impact on our world. Rather than resorting to costly litigation, companies, laboratories and universities can use the Exchange to harness the power of an idea, monetize it fairly and spur greater innovation. We are thrilled to have such a dynamic team of innovators supporting this ground breaking initiative.”
Pannekoek said: “The Exchange creates a new approach to technology licensing that overcomes the inefficiency of traditional bilateral technology license negotiations. For the first time, companies and other entities will be able to buy and sell units of technology usage, providing improved economics, enhanced access to technology, and greater flexibility should technology needs change.”
To request a copy of the IPXI Market Rulebook or for additional information regarding Founding Member, Member or Associate Member eligibility, visit ipxi.com.
About IPXI
IPXI is the world’s first financial exchange focused on Intellectual Property. The mission of IPXI is to meet the price discovery, transaction and data distribution needs of intellectual property owners, investors and traders, as well as other market participants by creating the central marketplace for tradable IP assets.
IPXI is funded by a group of U.S. and European investors, including CBOE Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: CBOE), parent of the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CB0E), Royal Philips Electronics (Philips), and Ocean Tomo, LLC, the Intellectual Capital Merchant Banc™ firm. See ipxi.com.