@article {693,
	title = {Leveraging Old Intellectual Property to Accelerate Technology Entrepreneurship},
	journal = {Technology Innovation Management Review},
	volume = {3},
	year = {2013},
	month = {06/2013},
	pages = {21-27},
	publisher = {Talent First Network},
	address = {Ottawa},
	abstract = {Acquiring or licensing assets to older technologies, including surviving intellectual property rights, is an often-overlooked viable strategy for accelerating technology entrepreneurship. This strategy can help entrepreneurs short-cut the growth of a customer base, reduce development effort, and shorten the time to market with a minimum viable product. However, this strategy is not without risk; entrepreneurs need to be careful that the acquired intellectual property rights are not fraught with issues that could severely outweigh any perceived value. Proper investigation is required to ensure success because the current literature fails to provide tools that an entrepreneur can apply when considering the acquisition of intellectual property. 

This article includes a case study of a technology company {\textendash} Piranha Games {\textendash} that indirectly acquired sole and exclusive access to a substantial historical customer base by acquiring and licensing older technology and surviving intellectual property assets. The founders then leveraged the existing product brand and its historical customers to acquire significant funding and went global with a minimum viable product in three years. The copyright and trademark assets provided value on day one to Piranha Games by making it difficult and risky for others to exploit the technology. Based on this case study, this article offers recommendations to entrepreneurs who may benefit from acquiring old intellectual property to accelerate the growth of their startups.},
	keywords = {accelerated startup, business models, copyright, crowdfunding, due diligence, entrepreneurs, funding, intellectual property, old technology, product development clearance, trademark},
	issn = {1927-0321},
	doi = {http://doi.org/10.22215/timreview/693},
	url = {http://timreview.ca/article/693},
	author = {Derek Smith}
}
