Magnolia Solar, a pioneer in the development of affordable solar cells, recently received its second $750,000 award from the U.S. Air Force (USAF) to help apply its proprietary technologies toward deep space exploration. According to Mass High Tech, the goal of the grant is to foster the creation of solar cells that are 20 percent more efficient than current state-of-the-art designs.

The U.S. patent system has had no shortage of detractors in recent months, with several supposed experts painting a direct correlation between high-tech infringement cases and market stagnation. However, several industry veterans believe the facts support the thesis that intellectual property management fuels innovation rather than restricts it.

If there were any lingering doubts as to the gravity of patent controversies currently circulating Silicon Valley, one only needs to consider the audience that is now hearing the debates. Delegates from Apple, Google, Microsoft, Intel and Motorola were all summoned to Geneva this week for a roundtable discussion hosted by the United Nations' International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

The 50th session of the Assemblies of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) member states is taking place in Geneva this week, gathering delegates from 185 countries to discuss and resolve several pressing issues. So far at this year's conference, member states have already made important breakthroughs regarding the distribution of copyrighted works to visually impaired audiences and renewed their commitment to the development of simplified industrial design registration procedures.

IT departments have become more involved in collaborative endeavors in recent years as their business-side colleagues recognize the role of innovation in neutralizing the effects of recession. According to PC Advisor, this is leading many chief information officers on a path to the patent office as business directors demand protection for their companies' IT breakthroughs.

The green technology sector continues to be among the most innovative segments of the American economy. But as more companies try to associate environmentally-friendly properties with their products and services, USPTO officials are shining a brighter light on applications for green trademarks.

This week, the federal government provided another example of the trust it is placing in the entrepreneurial community to help the country rebound from recession and lead the next generation of innovation. In a landmark partnership between the U.S. Department of Commerce and Cornell University's New York City Tech Campus, students will be provided with direct access to government resources for the first time as they look to expedite production cycles and get their inventions to market faster.

In an article posted on the ASME web site in August 2012, Mark Crawford highlights the key role played by engineers in the creation and early protection of intellectual property rights.

Anthony L. Velocci, Jr. writes in a recent article for Aviation Week that thousands of entrepreneurial companies are flourishing across the aerospace industry worldwide. They are “vibrant source[s] of innovation and value-creation” given their “wealth of specialized skills, cutting-edge intellectual property, highly educated workforces, relationships with government officials and large aerospace customers, and, in many cases, valuable security clearances.”
“Small companies are an incredibly rich source of innovation,” Velocci quotes Charles Wessner as saying. Dr. Wessner, the director of Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the National Academy of Sciences, goes on to say “[t]hat is where big technology companies come from, and that is where the big companies go for innovative ideas.”

Today's business models are more collaborative than ever, with companies exploring unique partnerships intended to add new dimensions and value to their product lines. But without proper identification and protection of their intellectual assets, firms could find it difficult to reap the full reward of their inclusive policies.