IPX International’s full list of members can be revealed for the first time today. In total, 27 organisations have so far joined up to the exchange, which is designed to facilitate the transparent trading and licensing of patent rights. Of these, 13 are founding members and so have the right to take part in detailed discussions about how the exchange will function; other members can be invited to participate but there are no guarantees. Associate members - IP advisers, valuation firms, prior art search firms, brokers and other IP market participants – are not able to sponsor or purchase ULR contracts, the packages through which patent licences will be brought and sold on the exchange. IPXI’s five corporate founding members have committed to making ULR contract submissions within a year of signing up; the university and lab founding members have three years. The exchange published its first rulebook earlier this month. 

The full list of IPXI members is as follows:

Founder members - corporate

• Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

• Com-Pac International

• MetaPower, Inc

• Ford Global Technologies, LLC

• Sony USA

Founder members - university

• Rutgers University

• Northwestern University

• University of Utah

• University of Notre Dame

• Regents University of California

Founder members - laboratories

• Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

• Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

• Brookhaven National Laboratory

Regular members

• Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations

• University of Chicago

Associate members

• DeWitt, Ross & Stevens S.C.

• Ocean Tomo, LLC

• Article One Partners

• North Point Advisors, LLC

• DLA Piper

• Red Chalk Group

• Innography

• Marsh, Inc.

• Nordic Patent Institute

• Pantros IP

• Sullivan & Cromwell, LLP

• TAEUS International Corporation

Notably, the founding members are a disparate bunch. This reflects the fact that IPXI is of potential interest to all types of IP owners looking to monetise their rights, not just those from a single sector or industry. What's more, the likes of Philips, Ford and Sony USA have a strong licensing track record and have been involved in any number of IP-related deals over the years. To get their stamp of approval is not only a major coup, but also indicates that IP which people actually want to get their hands on will be available via IPXI.

Should recruitment continue apace, the diversity of membership will become a significant strength for the exchange. In the short-term, however, a lack of concentration may make it less likely that people will automatically turn to it as an IP source. It is being seen in this way, of course, that will ultimately determine whether IPXI is successful. Bringing in members is the first, vital part of the equation, but when all is said and done it will be the buyers that matter most - without them there will be no exchanges of anything. 

Sectors

IP management, Licensing, Patents, IP business