“The Patent Game” helps readers maximize value while bringing their innovations to life
Patent law may not initially seem like an ideal candidate for gamification, but that is the incredibly effective and novel approach taken in a new, easy-to-understand, and comprehensive guide to developing a winning patent strategy now available for preorder. Written by accomplished Cincinnati patent attorney Vance V. VanDrake, III, “The Patent Game: Basics & Strategies for Innovators, Entrepreneurs, and Business Leaders” is a powerful tool designed to help innovators of all types learn how to win the high-stakes game of patents.
“Revolutionary ideas often remain just that – ideas,” said VanDrake. “To realize your vision of bringing an innovation to life, you’ll need the knowledge and confidence to protect those ideas from infancy to realization. Patents play an integral role in value creation, securing venture capital, and acquisition. If you are trying to bring something new into this world, whether you’re an entrepreneur or the CEO of a multinational corporation, your ability to play the patent game could be the difference between success and failure.”
Patents are uniquely positioned to drive incredible value for innovative companies, but a poor understanding of patent basics and a suboptimal strategy can be a tremendous waste of time and money. “The Patent Game” was written specifically to help innovators actively participate in the development and protection of these critical assets. Unlike dry textbooks, the first half of “The Patent Game” helps the reader learn vital basics using game-related analogies to help improve the inventor’s intellectual property intelligence quotient – or IP IQ. The second half of the book is styled as a “Choose Your Own Adventure,” designed to identify one of 18 different patent strategies tailored specifically to the needs and objectives of each unique business or innovation. Each strategy includes a game-related introduction, a play-by-play with intuitive diagrams, and at least one real world example of that approach being used successfully.
In “The Patent Game,” VanDrake gamifies the entire patent process by laying out the board, the pieces on the board, and how those pieces can be moved for maximum results. The focus is always on driving business value, and much of the first section helps readers define for themselves how best to unlock value using an effective patent strategy. The book is not meant as a replacement for a patent attorney, but rather aims to help the innovator or business leader better understand how to communicate business objectives and resources constraints. In conjunction with the book, VanDrake also created “The Patent Game Podcast” series where he breaks down the foundational elements of the patent process and offers valuable insights that can be applied to any personal or business goals.
VanDrake is a patent attorney and partner at Ulmer & Berne LLP, where he brings a progressive and creative approach to the development of intellectual property and business strategies. He is the co-founder of multiple early stage and venture-backed companies, is an active angel investor, and has worked with hundreds of startups and technologists to add over a billion dollars in value to these ventures. VanDrake helps his clients develop comprehensive strategies in a broad range of technologies, including software, medical devices, and mechanical and electrical innovations, and assists with all aspects of patent drafting and prosecution, trademark registration and clearance, and copyright and trade secret protection.
“The Patent Game” is now available for preorder on Amazon and will be published on October 1, 2019. Those who preorder the book will receive VanDrake’s “Patent Game Cheat Codes” – supporting downloadable resources to help them speed up and maximize the use of “The Patent Game.”