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International Invention Licensing Survey
 
Thank you for participating in the International Invention Licensing survey. In exchange for your assistance we will provide you a written summary of the research findings.


This survey is being fielded by Eureka! Ranch International as part of a world-wide effort (USA, Canada, UK) focused on accelerating innovation i.e. the buying, selling and commercialization of inventions. If you have any questions about the survey – please call Doug Hall at 513 618-4870 in the USA or e-mail [email protected].

The purposes of this survey are to:

1. Develop a national reference standard for royalty rates paid for innovations. Note, our goal is not to “set pricing.” Our purpose is to provide a reference standard range that helps buyers and sellers come to agreement faster.

2. Develop a weighted “pedigree credibility” score for evaluating inventors.


Background Information:

The following information is gathered to provide perspective on the data. All individual information will be kept 100% confidential.

1. Your Organization (check the one that describes your relationship to invention licesning):
 
I work for a small company that is open to buy &/or sell innovations (annual sales under $10M)
 
I work for a mid sized company that is open to buy &/or sell innovations (sales $10M to $100M)
 
I work for a large company that is open to buy &/or sell innovations (annual sales over $100M)
 
I work for an organization that primarily sells innovations (University, Federal or Non-Profit Lab)
 
I work as an independent advisor or consultant
 
I am an independent inventor
 
 
 
2. Your Industry:
 
Materials (chemicals, minerals, petroleum)
 
Consumer Goods (food, beverages, home, personal articles)
 
Communications
 
Automotive
 
Healthcare (biotech, pharmaceuticals, medical)
 
Industrial Goods (manufacturing, construction, aerospace, raw materials)
 
Information Technology
 
Services (financial, telecom, publishing, entertainment)
 
Education, Research & Development
 
Other
 
 
 
 
3. In the past 10 years, how many times have you been involved in negotiating or evaluating the appropriateness of an agreement to acquire or license/sell a technology/innovation?
   
 
 
 
4. E-mail address to send summary report to:
   
 
 
 
5. Relative weighting of Innovation WOW, Development Status, Proprietary Protection

In your opinion, what is the relative value that you would place on the following three dimensions – for an innovation that is OUTSTANDING in each of the three areas.

Total Value Must Equal 100

a. Innovation WOW: This is an assessment of how “Meaningfully unique” the innovation is versus what is available in the marketplace.
b. Innovation Development Status: How close to being “ready to go to market” is the innovation.
c. Proprietary Protection Status: How protected is the innovation from being copied by a competitor.
0
 
 
6. Value of Innovations with Different Levels of INNOVATION WOW FACTOR

How meaningfully unique is the innovation versus competitive offerings.


For the next few questions we’re exploring the importance of “Innovation Wow Factor.”

Please indicate - by circling one number for each question - what value you would give to a Major Innovation, Above Average Innovation and a Minor Impact Innovation relative to one that is Revolutionary.


REVOLUTIONARY Innovation: Score in the top 1 to 3% of all innovations tested (for purchase intent + uniqueness)
Satisfies a Major customer/consumer problem or enables the creation of a whole new industry.


Worth Much LESS than "Revolutionary" 0%
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Worth the SAME as "Revolutionary" 100%
a. MAJOR Innovation: Scores in the top 25% of all innovations tested (for purchase interest + uniqueness).
Measurably enhances a product/service’s superiority in an existing category.


b. ABOVE AVERAGE Innovation: Scores Average to Somewhat Above Average versus all innovations.
The invention creates an incremental impact in an existing product or service.


c. MINOR IMPACT Innovation: Scores in the bottom 40% of all Innovations
The invention offers a different way of accomplishing a benefit similar to what is offered by others.
 
 
7. Value of Innovations with Different Levels of INNOVATION DEVELOPMENT Status
How close to being “ready to go to market” is the innovation?

For the next few questions we’re exploring the importance of “Innovation Development Status.”
Please indicate - by circling one number for each question - what value you would give to an Innovation at various levels of Innovation Development relative to one that is Shipping & Selling.

SHIPPING & SELLING
The invention is being manufactured and sold to customers or consumers.

Worth Much LESS than "Shipping & Selling" 0%


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90%
Worth the SAME as "Shipping & Selling" 100%
a. Manufacturing Ready – The product or service is ready for production: 1) Pilot production trials have been conducted, 2) capital equipment investments, if required, are clearly defined, 3) locations and resources for manufacturing clearly identified, 4) detailed bill of materials is complete, 5) there is no doubt about product or service production costs and selling prices, 6) all user instructions and graphics are complete.

b. Final Design – A final design has been engineered that includes: 1) Optimization of design relative to production cost versus selling price. 2) real world trials or tests with customers on the effectiveness of final product/service design and performance claims at the 95% confidence level, 3) completion of appropriate product safety & stability testing, 4) where appropriate, regulatory approval has been obtained and 5) if appropriate, final packaging is designed and tested.

c. Successful Prototypes – Functional prototypes have been constructed and successfully tested with real world customers/consumers – confirming the performance claims made in the concept statement. Rough “prototype” estimates of selling price and production cost indicates that the invention offers industry reasonable economics given capital costs, profit margins and sales potential.

d. In Development – The invention is in the development stage. Development is an iterative learning stage that involves such things as - “proof of concept” technical experiments, discussions with knowledgeable colleges, patent searches, marketplace searches and research with potential customers or consumers.
 
 
8. Value of Innovations with Different Levels of PROPRIETARY PROTECTION Status

How protected is the innovation - from being copied by a competitor?


For the next few questions we’re exploring the importance of “Proprietary Protection Status.”

Please indicate - by circling one number for each question - what value you would give to an Innovation at various levels of Proprietary Protection relative to one that has Granted Patent Claims

Granted Patent Claims
The innovation has a granted patent with approved claims that cover the primary claims made in the concept statement. In addition, the inventor has received a professional legal opinion that WITH THE CLAIMS GRANTED there is at least 90% odds that it would be nearly impossible for someone who is highly motivated to find a way to copy the product or service in less than 5 years if ever.

Worth Much LESS than "Granted Patent Claims" 0%


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Worth the SAME as "Granted Patent Claims" 100%
a. Major Trade Secrets – The inventor has significant production, design and/or manufacturing trade secrets that make it nearly impossible for someone who is highly motivated to find a way to copy the product or service in less than 5 years if ever.

b. Tactical Protection – The inventor has unique access to one or more of the following tactical tools that provide significant barriers to competitors copying the innovation: 1) unique raw material supply, 2) proprietary production process, 3) powerful trademark, 4) important endorsement or 5) unique sales or marketing distribution.

c. Patent In-Process – The inventor has FILED a patent application (full or provisional) and has a received a professional legal opinion that there is at least 90% odds of receiving a patent that will make it nearly impossible for someone who is highly motivated to find a way to copy the product or service in less than 5 years if ever.

d. Potential for Protection – The inventor BELIEVES that it will be possible to protect the invention in the marketplace because: 1) It would be first to market, 2) A knowledgeable colleague believes the innovation has never been done before, 3) A patent search has been conducted that indicates strong potential for protection and/or 4) there is a good chance that there will be significant production, design and/or manufacturing secrets.
 
 
9. Inventor Credibility Weighting: Please indicate how much “weight” you would give to each of the following dimensions of inventor pedigree when assessing an inventor’s credibility by circling one number for each question.
No Weight or Value 0
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9
Significant Weight 10
a. One Patent: When assessing inventor credibility, how much “weight” would you give to the fact that an inventor has been GRANTED 1 patent (for the current invention or another)?
b. Ten Patents: When assessing inventor credibility, how much “weight” would you give to the fact that an inventor has been GRANTED 10 patents (for the current invention or another)?

c. One Licensing Deal: When assessing inventor credibility, how much “weight” would you give to the fact that an inventor has been significantly involved in signing 1 licensing deal?
d. Ten Licensing Deals: When assessing inventor credibility, how much “weight” would you give to the fact that an inventor has been significantly involved in signing 10 licensing deals?

e. One Invention Shipped: When assessing credibility how much “weight” would you give to the fact that an inventor has been significantly involved in 1 invention that shipped?
f. Ten Inventions Shipped: When assessing credibility how much “weight” would you give to the fact that an inventor has been significantly involved in 10 inventions that shipped?

g. One Year of Industry Experience: When assessing inventor credibility, how much “weight” would you give to the fact that an inventor has 1 year of experience in an industry related to the invention?
h. Ten Years of Industry Experience: When assessing inventor credibility, how much “weight” would you give to the fact that an inventor has 10 years of experience in an industry related to the invention?
 
 
 
10. Open Comments: Outline any specific challenges you've faced when negotiating fair royalty agreements. And, any perspective that you have on the challenges of working with inventors or companies.
   
 
Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey!
If you have any questions or comments about the survey – please e-mail them to
[email protected]
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