IPBC Connect 2020 | Open Source Will Eat the World
OIN sponsored IPBC Connect 2020, a series of online discussions and presentations specifically designed to connect worldwide Intellectual Property (IP) business leaders held throughout the month of September.
The program included more than 45 individual interactive digital sessions to facilitate open discussions, benchmarking and the sharing of best practices in key areas of strategic IP value creation.
On September 10th, our CEO, Keith Bergelt, participated in a 60-minute discussion and Q&A session with 4 enterprise Open Source and IP leaders to share their experiences about strategic, operational and cultural perspectives of Open Source policy and IP. Panelists included Jimmy Ahlberg, Manager, IPR and Open Source Policy, Ericsson; Jared Engstrom, Manager, IP, Red Hat; Elisabeth Opie, Principal Solicitor, Office of Elisabeth Opie and Matthew Weinstein, Director Legal Patents and Open Source, Accenture.
Unarguably, companies are changing the way they invent and embracing Open Source. While implementing and managing Open Source comes with many benefits, it also presents challenges in reducing patent risks, overseeing licensing programs, and administering IP portfolios.
Keith explains how the Linux Foundation decided they wanted to be a vehicle 13 years ago to professionally manage projects that attracted large companies to work on Open Source through these projects. The Linux Foundation wanted to look at projects that extended beyond Linux, as well as provide the opportunity for these entities to come together to better manage patent risk and remove hurdles for participation in Open Source. Companies agreed to use permissive licenses like Apache and made a social commitment to collaborate, innovate, develop core code and cross-license patents through membership in OIN.
Panelists discuss the importance of having Open Source policies and practicing good Open Source hygiene, meaning companies use Open Source respectfully, avoid license contamination and remain mindful of security issues. Panelists also share their thoughts about how developers look for code to reuse and short cuts they can take, allowing them to innovate more effectively. While this is good, it also creates challenges for legal departments to manage compliance issues which is one of the hardest things to do when it comes to Open Source. Other discussions center around the governance of trademark issues and IP portfolio management.
#IntellectualProperty #LinuxFoundation #OpenSource #OpenSourcePolicy
by Open Invention Network
linux foundation
