Intellectual Property Briefing Brings National and International Executives to South Carolina
June 18, 2012
Discussions Explore Leveraging IP for Increased Company Performance
CHARLESTON, SC – June 14, 2012 – SCRA Technology Ventures, theUniversity of South Carolina and business executives from U.S. andglobal companies met to discuss the importance of intellectual propertystrategy to increasing a company’s value at the Wild Dunes Resort inCharleston, SC.
The meeting, focused on “The Effects of IP on Corporate Performance,”featured keynote speakers Bill Coughlin, CEO of Ford GlobalTechnologies, and Steve Landefeld, director of the Bureau of EconomicAnalysis (BEA) in the U.S Department of Commerce. SCRA TechnologyVentures’ Greg Clark, USC deans Hildy Teegen of the Moore School andAnthony Ambler of the College of Engineering and Computing spoke at thebriefing as well.
The event was a collaboration of the Darla Moore School of Business andthe College of Engineering and Computing at the University of SouthCarolina, and the National IP Taskforce, a 15-year-old consortiumdedicated to organizational development in IP strategy and management.SCRA Technology Ventures sponsored the event.
Dirk Brown, director of the Faber Entrepreneurship Center at the DarlaMoore School of Business in partnership with the College of Engineeringand Computing, said there is a growing need for business protocols thatwill improve the strategic management of IP assets nationally andglobally.
“The majority of the value in almost every enterprise is innon-physical, intangible assets. That’s about 75 percent of the S&P500 stocks. Business leaders need to understand how to best leverage andlegally protect those intangible assets,” said Brown. “IP strategy isthe responsibility of the operating executive, not their patentattorneys.”
Coughlin discussed how businesses can create new assets for corporatesurvival and gave examples of how Ford Global Technologies, which owns,manages and commercializes the patents and copyrights for Ford Motors,used its intellectual property to manage through the 2008 – 2009financial crisis and emerged stronger as a result. Landefeld discussedthe importance of IP and innovation to economic growth.
“SCRA Technology Ventures’ flagship program, SC Launch, has seen thedramatic economic benefit that commercialization of intellectualproperty can bring,” said SCRA Executive Vice President AmbroseSchwallie. “We are pleased to be take part in this important event thatshowcases South Carolina’s understanding of intellectual property whilebringing strong strategic ideas to the forefront of these businessleaders’ minds.”
About the Darla Moore School of Business
The Darla Moore School of Business is among the highest-rankedbusiness schools in the world for international business education andresearch. Founded in 1919, the school has a history of innovativeeducational leadership, blending academic preparation with real-worldexperience through internships, consulting projects, study-abroadprograms and entrepreneurial opportunities. The Moore School offersundergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees, as well as distinctiveexecutive education programs. In 1998, the school was named for SouthCarolina native and New York financier Darla Moore, making theUniversity of South Carolina the first major university to name itsbusiness school after a woman.
About the College of Engineering and Computing at the University of South Carolina
http://www.engr.sc.edu/
Founded in 1909, the College of Engineering and Computing is anationally ranked program that offers undergraduate and graduate degreesin numerous areas of study. Departments and Programs include BiomedicalEngineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering,Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical Engineering, EngineeringScience, Mechanical Engineering and Nuclear Engineering.
About the National Knowledge & Intellectual Property ManagementTaskforce
The taskforce has conducted research on IP business practicessince its inception in 1998. Through research, collaboration andadvocacy, the taskforce has advanced the understanding of executive andorganization development of IP strategy as an economic driver and modelfor global competitiveness.
About SCRA and SC Launch
http://www.scra.org/
SCRA is an applied research corporation with over 29 years ofexperience delivering technology solutions with high returns oninvestment to federal and corporate clients. Our flagship SC Launchprogram, managed by the Technology Ventures sector, helps early-stagecompanies to commercialize innovations and create jobs. SC Launch hassupported 271 entities in South Carolina through investments and othersupport services. Multiple economic impact studies show SCRA’scumulative impact on South Carolina’s economy to be over $14 billion.
