IP Protection

Professional Development in Innovation for Multinational Corporation with a Previous Focus on Tobacco Products (2019-2020)

Lib · Dec 7, 2021 ·

Challenge:

A multinational corporation with considerable resources sought to diversify away from its traditional focus upon selling cigarettes and other tobacco-based products into selling non-combustible nicotine-based solutions and other consumer products. As a key element of this initiative, Oxford Oracle was asked to provide its Marketing and Human Resources teams in both the UK and the US with professional development in innovation.

The Oracle’s Solution:

The Oracle commenced this project by undertaking an interview-based scoping exercise with key stakeholders within the organisation to understand their current familiarity with innovation processes, intellectual property, R&D, and legal and practical routes for protecting proprietary materials. Subsequently, detailed four-day workshops were held face-to-face in both the UK and the US. The following key topics were covered and investigated in detail:

Innovation Capture	Innovation Roadmapping	Innovation Champions
Intellectual Property Rights	Freedom to Operate Exercises	Market Assessments
Open Innovation	Cross-Licensing	Portfolio Management

Action plans for immediate and ongoing execution were created by participants during the workshop and, over the ensuing 12 months, these innovation professionals enjoyed routine access to designated mentors within the Oracle.

Consequential Impact:

Recipients of the professional development and mentorship rated these as excellent (4.8/5) and, perhaps unsurprisingly, reported that the most critical sessions were those in which they created timebound action plans to implement their newly acquired skills and knowledge. Both mid-term and longer term surveys indicate that the information embedded during the Oracle’s sessions has led to positive changes in organisational processes, to recruitment attitudes and outcomes, to innovation management, to R&D priorities and, indeed, to the products which are now at market.

On-Call Support for the IP Unit of a Not-for-Profit Inter-Governmental Development Organisation (2020–2021)

Lib · Dec 6, 2021 ·

Challenge:

The intellectual property (IP) unit of an inter-governmental organisation in the agriculture sector sought to improve its internal processes and augment its staff base to cope with the expanding requirement to assess new and novel technologies whilst rationalising an extremely large IP portfolio.

The Oracle’s Solution:

Four fellows from a cross-section of relevant scientific disciplines were assigned as named contacts for key staff within the client’s IP unit. This enabled the formation of a buddy system which meant that buddies from each organisation met physically or virtually at least three times a week over a ten-month period. The four key fellows worked with other colleagues within the Oracle to design innovation assessment frameworks and establish tractable systems for innovation capture, maintaining and rationalising IP portfolios, and selling and assigning IP rights. Mentorship was provided to both buddies within the IP Unit as well as to other client colleagues on demand. A recruitment exercise was conducted by the Oracle and three new staff members were subsequently appointed by the client.

Consequential Impact:

The mentorship provided by Oxford Oracle allowed the IP Unit to quickly develop knowledge and experience which facilitated improved organisational efficiencies. For example, the number of pipeline innovations evaluated each month more than doubled over the period of intensive support. The bespoke frameworks and systems produced by the Oracle were acclaimed by the client organisation and remain in place and in active deployment to the present day. The new colleagues who were recruited provided critical disciplinary expertise which was previously lacking and are working with their teammates to produce excellent synergistic effects.

Pre-Incubator Programme to Improve Venture Capital Outcomes (2020-21)

Lib · Jun 18, 2021 ·

Challenge:

A large venture capital fund with a focus on patient capital approaches sought to establish a pre-incubator programme for new founders and managers who are drawn from university environments. The client was concerned that entrants into its established incubator programme tended to face two key challenges:

They struggled to articulate the customer problem that their business solves.
They were insufficiently prepared to optimise their profitability whilst in the incubator.

The Oracle’s Solution:

The Oracle undertook an interview-based scoping exercise with key stakeholders. Three workshops were then held for both managers within the client organisation as well as by representatives of current incubatee companies. The outcome of these workshops was agreement on ten half-day pre-incubator sessions which were tailored to the priority needs of the start-ups most likely to be admitted into the generously-funded full incubator programme. The pre-incubator programme was then delivered over a three-month period, being adaptively refined over the delivery period in line with beneficiaries’ needs. The base structure for the programme was anchored to the following priorities:

Business Models	Customer Conversations
Technology Push vs Market Pull	Protecting Intellectual Property
Kinetic Execution	Data Commercialisation
Demonstrating Market Potential	Raising Finance
Planning for Pitching	Exit Opportunities

Consequential Impact:

The pre-incubator programme was conducted for 38 beneficiaries representing 17 start-ups and the feedback was unanimously positive. Several technologies were submitted to the Oracle for Freedom-to-Operate analyses and to obtain IP protections. The client noted in particular that participant interaction during the programme was excellent and that optional post-session clinic sessions were heavily over-subscribed. It was agreed that the programme, as adapted in line with changing needs, is to be delivered annually on a repeat basis.

Ongoing Technology Scouting and Horizon Scanning for Multinational Corporation (2017–2020)

Lib · Nov 8, 2020 ·

Challenge:

A multinational company focussing on consumer electronics sought to improve its early-stage intelligence and market access to six broad technology sectors. They relied on the Oracle to provide these services.

The Oracle’s Solution:

Disciplinary experts were appointed from within the Oracle’s fellowship to head each of the six technology sectors. Each of these lead consultants was then able to rely on the Oracle’s international networks to appoint ad-hoc team members according to the precise expertise required. The Oracle used its existing relationships with universities, independent R & D facilities, research organisations, and SMEs (Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises) around the world to identify emerging technologies with great promise. Shortlists of potentially interesting innovations were created and provided to the client. The client then provided feedback on its priorities and had the opportunity to request further information. Oxford Oracle was also often called upon to undertake IP due diligence and to elucidate issues around IP protection and freedom to operate. Ultimately, for innovations of potential interest, the Oracle undertook “deep-dive” interviews and site visits as well as facilitating direct discussions between the client and the innovators driving the candidate technologies.

Consequential Impact:

In a three-year period, more than 200 innovations from almost 40 countries were shortlisted for the client. Pursuant to client meetings, 140 of these were then earmarked for deep-dive due diligence. Five deals involving company or IP acquisition have been concluded. A number of others are currently progressing positively. Furthermore, several areas of the client’s IP pre-eminence have been augmented and re-inforced. The project continues.

University Rankings Enhancement and Degree Accreditation for Emerging Middle East Institution (2016–2018)

Lib · Apr 28, 2018 ·

Challenge:

An excellent Middle Eastern university that had recently attained its 30 year milestone sought to further improve its standing within the international university rankings. Furthermore, it sought to diversify its offerings by establishing new, internationally-recognised degree programmes in Biology. The client university had the particular aim of entering the top 10 within the QS Arab Region University Rankings.

The Oracle’s Solution:

The Oracle advised that it would be most efficient to seek to concomitantly ascend all three of the three most renowned university rankings:

Times Higher Education Rankings
Shanghai Rankings (ARWU; Academic Ranking of World Universities)
QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) World University Rankings.

Eight of the Oracle’s fellows presented to the client institution during an intensive two-day workshop in which the characteristics of the three rankings systems were elaborated in detail. The university subsequently agreed that its resources would be best spent by focusing on improvements to three key elements of quality:

Teaching Quality
Research Quality
Student Recruitment

Over a two-year period, the Oracle’s expert HE practitioners then went about devising and implementing action plans to persistently improve teaching provision. Improved incentives were simultaneously embedded within university procedures to encourage excellent research and commensurate publications of international standard. Successful recruitment of 12 high-profile research experts was also undertaken. Rigorous systems for Foundation programmes and for direct-access admissions to undergraduate programmes were also designed to ensure initial student quality.

Working with international accreditation organisations including the Royal Society of Biology, two degree programmes in the biological sciences were designed and five initial members of academic staff were appointed from a large, global pool of applicants. The curricula were validated internally and by the Ministry of Education and were primed for International Degree Accreditation after three years.

Consequential Impact:

As a result of this initiative, the client was successful in entering the top 10 of the QS Arab Region University Rankings and, happily, it has remained there ever since. Marked and sustained improvements (in excess of 90 positions) were also recorded in the ARWU and THE leagues tables. A virtuous circle of HE quality was thus set in motion.

The degree offerings in biology were oversubscribed in their first year and they continue from strength to strength. They have been incorporated into a department of Bioengineering and student cohorts continue to increase in size.