Original Story: latimes.com
That’s heavy, Doc.
Tinker Hatfield, one of Nike’s most well-known and popular designers, announced recently that the coveted power-lace shoe, as seen in “Back to the Future: Part II,” may be available as soon as this year, according to the sneaker blog Nice Kicks. A Sacramento patents lawyer is following this story closely.
Hatfield confirmed the likely release date in 2015 for the Nike Mag, also known as the Marty McFly shoe, at the Agenda trade show in Long Beach, Nice Kicks reported.
Neither the exact date of release, nor price of the shoe, was discussed.
The patent papers for the lacing system have been filed and show how it would work. A Miami patents lawyer assists clients with patent protections, patent licensing and various specialized industry patents.
A weight sensor in the sole of the shoe would trigger the mechanism to activate the laces, according to the patent papers.
Nike could not be reached for comment.
Technically, the Mag has been released before, albeit without working power laces.
In 2011, 1,500 pairs of the shoe were auctioned on EBay, with all proceeds going to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which funds research to fight Parkinson's disease. An Atlanta intellectual property lawyer is reviewing the details of this case.
Fans of the “Back to the Future” trilogy know that a 2015 release would be huge, as the main characters, Marty and Doc, travel to that year in the second movie. That's when they encountered power laces and the beloved hoverboard -- which people are also trying to make real.
Showing posts with label Nike. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nike. Show all posts
Friday, June 26, 2015
Thursday, December 11, 2014
NIKE SUES FORMER DESIGNERS
Original Story: espn.go.com
For years, the world's two largest shoe and apparel companies -- Nike and Adidas -- have battled for supremacy, with the competition occasionally leading to a lawsuit over a particular design or material, which one considers proprietary.
But on Monday, Nike took it to the next level, suing three former designers who had left the company, alleging they used Nike's trade secrets to sell themselves to Adidas. A Portland Intellectual Property Lawyer is reviewing the details of this case.
The lawsuit, filed in the county in Oregon where Adidas has its U.S. headquarters, alleges that some of its biggest designers, Denis Dekovic, Marc Dolce and Mark Miner, while still employees of Nike, began to build a blueprint to replicate Nike's famous Innovation Kitchen and stole secrets from inside its walls to take elsewhere. The Kitchen is where Nike's top designers build out shoes years in advance, testing new materials and concepts. Only a select few on Nike's sprawling campus have access to open its doors.
The lawsuit, which asks for more than $10 million in damages, alleges that before the three left Nike, they were already consulting with Adidas. To further sell themselves and capitalize on their position, Nike says Dekovic had the contents of his laptop duplicated, which gave him access to "thousands of proprietary documents relating to Nike's global football (soccer) product lines" where Adidas and Nike most fiercely battle. A Boston Intellectual Property Lawyer have experience representing clients in intellectual property litigation.
Among other things, the documents included specific designs, including models of team uniforms and products for the 2016 European Championships, plans for Nike-sponsored athletes in at least seven countries, unreleased financial information and projections concerning the company's business and information about Nike's planned launches in the marketplace.
"All of this information is among the most important and highly confidential information in Nike's athletic footwear business, particularly its global football business," the lawsuit reads. "Disclosure of any of this information would irreparably harm Nike, by, among other things, enabling a competitor to effectively undermine and counter Nike's performance in the athletic markets for the next three to four years."
Before leaving the company, Nike alleges the three designers erased emails from their computers and text messages on their phones to destroy any incriminating data that would lead back to their scheme.
"We find Nike's allegations hurtful because they are either false or are misleading half-truths," the designers said in a statement provided to the Portland Business Journal by their law firm. "We did not take trade secrets or intellectual property when we departed Nike in September. The athletic footwear industry is fast moving and rapidly changing and, as creative people, we thrive on innovation and freshness. We are looking forward to bringing new and innovative ideas and designs to Adidas when our non-competition agreement expires." An Atlanta Trade Secrets Lawyer is skilled in the development of trade secret protection programs, buying and selling trade secrets, and licensing trade secrets.
Dekovic was the senior design director for Nike football (soccer), Dolce worked on the shoes for LeBron James and Kobe Bryant and managed historic brands such as the Air Force One and the Dunk shoe and Miner was the senior footwear designer for Nike running, one of the company's biggest growth categories.
Nike says the three had signed a noncompete contract that spanned to September 2015. Yet less than two weeks after the three resigned, Adidas announced that it would back a Brooklyn-based design studio managed by Dekovic, Dolce and Miner.
Even though Adidas said at the time that the three wouldn't work for them until 2015, Nike remained concerned about the trade secrets it claims were stolen from them.
The company says it has spent more than $1.5 million in the past three years alone to ensure that its employees keep information confidential, and said in a statement Tuesday night that "Nike is an innovation company and we will continue to vigorously protect our intellectual property."
Adidas officials did not specifically address the allegations.
"Many of our employees have storied careers and rich experiences, but we have no interest in old work or past assignments as we are focused on shaping the future of the sporting goods industry, not looking at what has been done in the past," the statement said.
Nike's world headquarters in Beaverton and Adidas' U.S. headquarters in Portland are located about 13 miles from each other.
For years, the world's two largest shoe and apparel companies -- Nike and Adidas -- have battled for supremacy, with the competition occasionally leading to a lawsuit over a particular design or material, which one considers proprietary.
But on Monday, Nike took it to the next level, suing three former designers who had left the company, alleging they used Nike's trade secrets to sell themselves to Adidas. A Portland Intellectual Property Lawyer is reviewing the details of this case.
The lawsuit, filed in the county in Oregon where Adidas has its U.S. headquarters, alleges that some of its biggest designers, Denis Dekovic, Marc Dolce and Mark Miner, while still employees of Nike, began to build a blueprint to replicate Nike's famous Innovation Kitchen and stole secrets from inside its walls to take elsewhere. The Kitchen is where Nike's top designers build out shoes years in advance, testing new materials and concepts. Only a select few on Nike's sprawling campus have access to open its doors.
The lawsuit, which asks for more than $10 million in damages, alleges that before the three left Nike, they were already consulting with Adidas. To further sell themselves and capitalize on their position, Nike says Dekovic had the contents of his laptop duplicated, which gave him access to "thousands of proprietary documents relating to Nike's global football (soccer) product lines" where Adidas and Nike most fiercely battle. A Boston Intellectual Property Lawyer have experience representing clients in intellectual property litigation.
Among other things, the documents included specific designs, including models of team uniforms and products for the 2016 European Championships, plans for Nike-sponsored athletes in at least seven countries, unreleased financial information and projections concerning the company's business and information about Nike's planned launches in the marketplace.
"All of this information is among the most important and highly confidential information in Nike's athletic footwear business, particularly its global football business," the lawsuit reads. "Disclosure of any of this information would irreparably harm Nike, by, among other things, enabling a competitor to effectively undermine and counter Nike's performance in the athletic markets for the next three to four years."
Before leaving the company, Nike alleges the three designers erased emails from their computers and text messages on their phones to destroy any incriminating data that would lead back to their scheme.
"We find Nike's allegations hurtful because they are either false or are misleading half-truths," the designers said in a statement provided to the Portland Business Journal by their law firm. "We did not take trade secrets or intellectual property when we departed Nike in September. The athletic footwear industry is fast moving and rapidly changing and, as creative people, we thrive on innovation and freshness. We are looking forward to bringing new and innovative ideas and designs to Adidas when our non-competition agreement expires." An Atlanta Trade Secrets Lawyer is skilled in the development of trade secret protection programs, buying and selling trade secrets, and licensing trade secrets.
Dekovic was the senior design director for Nike football (soccer), Dolce worked on the shoes for LeBron James and Kobe Bryant and managed historic brands such as the Air Force One and the Dunk shoe and Miner was the senior footwear designer for Nike running, one of the company's biggest growth categories.
Nike says the three had signed a noncompete contract that spanned to September 2015. Yet less than two weeks after the three resigned, Adidas announced that it would back a Brooklyn-based design studio managed by Dekovic, Dolce and Miner.
Even though Adidas said at the time that the three wouldn't work for them until 2015, Nike remained concerned about the trade secrets it claims were stolen from them.
The company says it has spent more than $1.5 million in the past three years alone to ensure that its employees keep information confidential, and said in a statement Tuesday night that "Nike is an innovation company and we will continue to vigorously protect our intellectual property."
Adidas officials did not specifically address the allegations.
"Many of our employees have storied careers and rich experiences, but we have no interest in old work or past assignments as we are focused on shaping the future of the sporting goods industry, not looking at what has been done in the past," the statement said.
Nike's world headquarters in Beaverton and Adidas' U.S. headquarters in Portland are located about 13 miles from each other.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Nike’s Tiger Woods Apparel Line Snubbed by Consumers
Bloomberg
Tiger Woods fans have put up with the philandering, the text messages and the domestic spats. Now comes what may be the hardest thing of all to tolerate: Losing.
Woods has played through the year without a single tournament win, putting him at 83rd on the PGA Tour’s money list. As his performance slumps, so have sales of his apparel line through Nike Inc., according to retailers Golfsmith International Holdings Inc., Roger Dunn Golf Shops and Golf Discount Superstore.
Golf apparel sales overall are on the rise, signaling consumers are returning to the course, just not to Woods. Nike gets about 10 percent of its golf sales from the Woods brand, whose shirts, jackets and pants are among the most expensive clothing the sportswear maker sells.
“Apparel is hot right now,” said Laura Dowdy, the clothing buyer for Roger Dunn, which has more than 20 stores. “Everything -- Adidas, Puma, Nike, except the Tiger brand.”
Nike, based in Beaverton, Oregon, doesn’t disclose sales for the Tiger Woods Collection. Nike gets about $650 million in sales tied to the sport, according to Matt Powell, an analyst at Charlotte, North Carolina-based researcher SportsOneSource, who provided the estimate for sales of the Woods line.
“We support Tiger and never underestimate his abilities as a competitor,” Nike spokeswoman Beth Gast said in an e-mail. “He’s a phenomenal athlete with over 70 wins on the PGA Tour and 95 wins worldwide.” She declined to comment further. Woods’s representatives did not return calls or e-mails seeking comment.
Volume Slump
The line’s volume through the first half dropped 7.5 percent from a year earlier at Golfsmith’s 76 stores, Chief Executive Officer Martin Hanaka said in an interview. Total golf apparel sales climbed 11 percent over the same period at the Austin, Texas-based retailer.
Nike fell 90 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $70.05 at 4 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares have risen 6 percent this year.
“The Tiger effect has been negative this year,” Hanaka said. “Fortunately, other Nike products and other brands have been doing well, so we’ve been able to overcome it.”
Nike’s apparel sales climbed 13 percent in the quarter ended May 31, and its golf apparel sales also have climbed about that much this year, according to Powell. The retailer is now selling the fall 2010 men’s collection on its website. The cover boy? Not Tiger. It’s 2009 British Open Champion Stewart Cink. Woods appears in a list of “athletes” on a linked page.
Fallen Champion
Other than his rookie season, when he finished 24th, Woods has been in the top four on the money list every year on tour. This month, he recorded the worst 72-hole score -- 18 over par - - of his professional career.
“When Tiger’s doing well, people watch and buy his brand,” said David Martin, a branding expert with almost three decades of experience who runs Interbrand’s New York office and global golf practice. “When he’s not, people decide not to watch and they buy something else.”
Online retailer Golf Discount Superstore said it’s seen a “definite decline” for the brand. Roger Dunn, a division of Santa Ana, California-based Worldwide Golf Enterprises Inc., says almost all other apparel products are growing save for Tiger’s line.
Personal Problems
“Before, he was a champion,” said Patrick Rishe, a sports business professor at Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, and director of Sportsimpacts, which analyzes the economic impact of sports events. “He conveyed discipline and consistency. Now he’s lost that aura of perfection, on and off the course, and there’s no way Nike can create that aura again.”
Woods’s personal problems haven’t helped. Yesterday his lawyer announced that his divorce from model Elin Nordegren was completed, nine months after reports of his extramarital affairs surfaced.
Woods, 34, crashed his Cadillac sport-utility vehicle into a fire hydrant outside his Florida home last Thanksgiving, leading to his admission that he had relationships with several women during his marriage. One of those women, Joslyn James, created a website showcasing alleged text messages from the golfer that described various sex acts.
Nike first signed Tiger Woods to a five-year endorsement contract in 1996. The retailer has described the Tiger Woods Collection, launched in 1999, as “Nike Golf’s top-of-the-line apparel,” with sweaters and pants that cost more than $100 on the company’s Web site.
Nike hasn’t discounted its Woods Collection apparel and probably won’t, according to Powell, who says the company is counting on Woods returning to form and being “an important part of its portfolio.” Golfsmith also has no plans to lower prices for the brand, according to its chief marketing officer.
Nike Challenge
“The challenge to Nike is that we’ve never seen Tiger Woods weak before, and it’s completely antithetical to what his brand is,” Interbrand’s Martin said. “Some athletes can ski off into our memory as stars, but for Tiger, unless he gets it together this winter and starts winning, his career trajectory is a double-black diamond,” or exceptionally steep slope.
Not everyone has abandoned Woods. Clint Utz, 28, said he owns about 15 Tiger Woods Collection shirts and has bought several this year.
“All of a sudden, so many people were against him, but he’s still the same person that worked hard and achieved things no one else has ever achieved,” said Utz, a marketing director for Landscapes Unlimited, based in Lincoln, Nebraska. “Everyone loves a winner. They’ll come back.”
Woods has played through the year without a single tournament win, putting him at 83rd on the PGA Tour’s money list. As his performance slumps, so have sales of his apparel line through Nike Inc., according to retailers Golfsmith International Holdings Inc., Roger Dunn Golf Shops and Golf Discount Superstore.
Golf apparel sales overall are on the rise, signaling consumers are returning to the course, just not to Woods. Nike gets about 10 percent of its golf sales from the Woods brand, whose shirts, jackets and pants are among the most expensive clothing the sportswear maker sells.
“Apparel is hot right now,” said Laura Dowdy, the clothing buyer for Roger Dunn, which has more than 20 stores. “Everything -- Adidas, Puma, Nike, except the Tiger brand.”
Nike, based in Beaverton, Oregon, doesn’t disclose sales for the Tiger Woods Collection. Nike gets about $650 million in sales tied to the sport, according to Matt Powell, an analyst at Charlotte, North Carolina-based researcher SportsOneSource, who provided the estimate for sales of the Woods line.
“We support Tiger and never underestimate his abilities as a competitor,” Nike spokeswoman Beth Gast said in an e-mail. “He’s a phenomenal athlete with over 70 wins on the PGA Tour and 95 wins worldwide.” She declined to comment further. Woods’s representatives did not return calls or e-mails seeking comment.
Volume Slump
The line’s volume through the first half dropped 7.5 percent from a year earlier at Golfsmith’s 76 stores, Chief Executive Officer Martin Hanaka said in an interview. Total golf apparel sales climbed 11 percent over the same period at the Austin, Texas-based retailer.
Nike fell 90 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $70.05 at 4 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares have risen 6 percent this year.
“The Tiger effect has been negative this year,” Hanaka said. “Fortunately, other Nike products and other brands have been doing well, so we’ve been able to overcome it.”
Nike’s apparel sales climbed 13 percent in the quarter ended May 31, and its golf apparel sales also have climbed about that much this year, according to Powell. The retailer is now selling the fall 2010 men’s collection on its website. The cover boy? Not Tiger. It’s 2009 British Open Champion Stewart Cink. Woods appears in a list of “athletes” on a linked page.
Fallen Champion
Other than his rookie season, when he finished 24th, Woods has been in the top four on the money list every year on tour. This month, he recorded the worst 72-hole score -- 18 over par - - of his professional career.
“When Tiger’s doing well, people watch and buy his brand,” said David Martin, a branding expert with almost three decades of experience who runs Interbrand’s New York office and global golf practice. “When he’s not, people decide not to watch and they buy something else.”
Online retailer Golf Discount Superstore said it’s seen a “definite decline” for the brand. Roger Dunn, a division of Santa Ana, California-based Worldwide Golf Enterprises Inc., says almost all other apparel products are growing save for Tiger’s line.
Personal Problems
“Before, he was a champion,” said Patrick Rishe, a sports business professor at Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, and director of Sportsimpacts, which analyzes the economic impact of sports events. “He conveyed discipline and consistency. Now he’s lost that aura of perfection, on and off the course, and there’s no way Nike can create that aura again.”
Woods’s personal problems haven’t helped. Yesterday his lawyer announced that his divorce from model Elin Nordegren was completed, nine months after reports of his extramarital affairs surfaced.
Woods, 34, crashed his Cadillac sport-utility vehicle into a fire hydrant outside his Florida home last Thanksgiving, leading to his admission that he had relationships with several women during his marriage. One of those women, Joslyn James, created a website showcasing alleged text messages from the golfer that described various sex acts.
Nike first signed Tiger Woods to a five-year endorsement contract in 1996. The retailer has described the Tiger Woods Collection, launched in 1999, as “Nike Golf’s top-of-the-line apparel,” with sweaters and pants that cost more than $100 on the company’s Web site.
Nike hasn’t discounted its Woods Collection apparel and probably won’t, according to Powell, who says the company is counting on Woods returning to form and being “an important part of its portfolio.” Golfsmith also has no plans to lower prices for the brand, according to its chief marketing officer.
Nike Challenge
“The challenge to Nike is that we’ve never seen Tiger Woods weak before, and it’s completely antithetical to what his brand is,” Interbrand’s Martin said. “Some athletes can ski off into our memory as stars, but for Tiger, unless he gets it together this winter and starts winning, his career trajectory is a double-black diamond,” or exceptionally steep slope.
Not everyone has abandoned Woods. Clint Utz, 28, said he owns about 15 Tiger Woods Collection shirts and has bought several this year.
“All of a sudden, so many people were against him, but he’s still the same person that worked hard and achieved things no one else has ever achieved,” said Utz, a marketing director for Landscapes Unlimited, based in Lincoln, Nebraska. “Everyone loves a winner. They’ll come back.”
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Adidas Aims to Keep Leadership in Golf Market With Radar Analysis of Swing
Bloomberg
Adidas AG, the maker of TaylorMade golf clubs, said it plans to maintain its newfound position as the sport’s biggest supplier with the help of computer images and radar systems that analyze players’ swings.
With golf revenue of 860 million euros ($1.05 billion) in the year through March, Adidas achieved global leadership of the $7.5 billion market, Mark King, head of the company’s golf business, said in an interview late yesterday.
To build on its No. 1 position, TaylorMade plans to open centers that allow players to purchase customized clubs after having their swing analyzed with highspeed cameras. The first one opened near Adidas headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany, last year and a second will follow in Wentworth, southern England, in September. Adidas also aims to expand its Ashworth apparel brand and seek acquisitions, King said.
“Customers respond to our innovativeness, which helped us to become the global market leader in golf,” King said after playing in a tournament along with Adidas Chief Executive Officer Herbert Hainer and Spanish golfer Sergio Garcia.
Adidas said its golf sales overtook Fortune Brands Inc. after the maker of Titleist balls sold its Cobra unit in April. First-quarter golf revenue rose 16 percent excluding currency swings to 223 million euros, the German company said.
At the Herzogenaurach golf center, six highspeed cameras follow a player’s movements to create a three-dimensional computer-animated swing image. In a second step, a Doppler-radar supported tool follows the golf ball’s flight and reports launch angle, spin rate and initial shot velocity.
Customized Clubs
“After some 120 shots the computer proposes a perfectly customized club,” said Ryan Lauder, TaylorMade marketing chief for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. Technicians then build a customized set of clubs for the customer within two hours, choosing from 3,000 club shafts and 2,000 heads.
There is currently a six-week waiting list for the analysis, which costs 250 euros, Lauder said. The first center will become profitable within the next three years, he said.
“The major trend in golf is customization, that’s what it’s all about,” King said. About 8 percent of Adidas’s revenue is derived from the sport.
Adidas says it outfits more players than any rival on the world’s top seven professional tours, including the PGA Tour.
“There is an evident relation between the number of outfitted golf professionals and the companies’ sales,” said Peter Steiner, an amateur player and analyst at BHF Bank in Frankfurt. He has a “reduce” rating on Adidas.
Nike, Callaway
Nike Inc.’s golf revenue for the fiscal year ended May 31 was $638 million, a 2 percent decline from the previous year. Callaway Golf Co., the maker of Big Bertha clubs, reported a 15 percent decline in 2009 revenue to $951 million.
Adidas plans to boost sales of its Ashworth apparel brand, which was acquired in 2008, to as much as $250 million from about $60 million within the next six years, King said.
“We have to break traditions in golf, we have to make the sport cooler, we have to make our brand cool,” he said.
TaylorMade’s revenue will be little changed this year, King said, reiterating an earlier forecast. The unit is considering acquisitions, without having specific plans, and is targeting competitors who are strong in the women’s, seniors’ and lifestyle areas, according to King.
“The golf market is a very fragmented one where we may see more acquisitions in the future,” BHF Bank’s Steiner said.
With golf revenue of 860 million euros ($1.05 billion) in the year through March, Adidas achieved global leadership of the $7.5 billion market, Mark King, head of the company’s golf business, said in an interview late yesterday.
To build on its No. 1 position, TaylorMade plans to open centers that allow players to purchase customized clubs after having their swing analyzed with highspeed cameras. The first one opened near Adidas headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany, last year and a second will follow in Wentworth, southern England, in September. Adidas also aims to expand its Ashworth apparel brand and seek acquisitions, King said.
“Customers respond to our innovativeness, which helped us to become the global market leader in golf,” King said after playing in a tournament along with Adidas Chief Executive Officer Herbert Hainer and Spanish golfer Sergio Garcia.
Adidas said its golf sales overtook Fortune Brands Inc. after the maker of Titleist balls sold its Cobra unit in April. First-quarter golf revenue rose 16 percent excluding currency swings to 223 million euros, the German company said.
At the Herzogenaurach golf center, six highspeed cameras follow a player’s movements to create a three-dimensional computer-animated swing image. In a second step, a Doppler-radar supported tool follows the golf ball’s flight and reports launch angle, spin rate and initial shot velocity.
Customized Clubs
“After some 120 shots the computer proposes a perfectly customized club,” said Ryan Lauder, TaylorMade marketing chief for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. Technicians then build a customized set of clubs for the customer within two hours, choosing from 3,000 club shafts and 2,000 heads.
There is currently a six-week waiting list for the analysis, which costs 250 euros, Lauder said. The first center will become profitable within the next three years, he said.
“The major trend in golf is customization, that’s what it’s all about,” King said. About 8 percent of Adidas’s revenue is derived from the sport.
Adidas says it outfits more players than any rival on the world’s top seven professional tours, including the PGA Tour.
“There is an evident relation between the number of outfitted golf professionals and the companies’ sales,” said Peter Steiner, an amateur player and analyst at BHF Bank in Frankfurt. He has a “reduce” rating on Adidas.
Nike, Callaway
Nike Inc.’s golf revenue for the fiscal year ended May 31 was $638 million, a 2 percent decline from the previous year. Callaway Golf Co., the maker of Big Bertha clubs, reported a 15 percent decline in 2009 revenue to $951 million.
Adidas plans to boost sales of its Ashworth apparel brand, which was acquired in 2008, to as much as $250 million from about $60 million within the next six years, King said.
“We have to break traditions in golf, we have to make the sport cooler, we have to make our brand cool,” he said.
TaylorMade’s revenue will be little changed this year, King said, reiterating an earlier forecast. The unit is considering acquisitions, without having specific plans, and is targeting competitors who are strong in the women’s, seniors’ and lifestyle areas, according to King.
“The golf market is a very fragmented one where we may see more acquisitions in the future,” BHF Bank’s Steiner said.
Friday, January 29, 2010
From Davos: Nike and Partners Launch The GreenXchange
Business Week
I mentioned in an earlier post that Davos can be a catalyst for great ideas, and one example is the GreenXchange conceived by Nike. This morning Nike formally launched the Xchange at a CEO breakfast in Davos.
The venue was a conscripted hairdressing salon that was pressed into service by the Forum as a meeting space. We were like sardines. But the energy in the tiny room was high.
The venue was a conscripted hairdressing salon that was pressed into service by the Forum as a meeting space. We were like sardines. But the energy in the tiny room was high.
To recap: The Xchange is a Web-based marketplace where companies can collaborate and share intellectual property which can lead to new sustainability business models and innovation. Ten organizations have already signed on. The Xchange is the first step in a journey towards more sustainable innovation, and the more companies that get on board, the faster we’ll all make progress. More info can be found here.
In Wikinomics co-author Anthony Williams and I argued that we’re living in a world where new approaches to collaboration enable new business models that empower companies to create better value for consumers. We said companies need a portfolio of intellectual property – some that they own and protect, some that they license and some that they share. The Green Xchange is all about achieving that.
Nike began this morning’s announcement with a cool video that made it clear that sustainability is not an obligation, it’s an opportunity. Companies can choose to be ahead of the curve or behind the times. The goal is to create an innovation community. No one is “giving away” their intellectual property; the exchange includes a licensing protocol.
“Nike is today committing to placing more than 400 of our patents on GX for research, demonstrating our belief that the best way to stimulate sustainable innovation is through open innovation,” said Mark Parker, Nike president and CEO. “Our hope is this will unleash new innovation to help solve current obstacles to sustainability issues.”
Example: Possible cross-industry benefits of making available Nike’s Environmentally Preferred Rubber. Used in Nike footwear the rubber contains 96 percent fewer toxins than the original formulation. By licensing the technology on GX it could be used in other company’s footwear, or it could hypothetically be used by Mountain Equipment Co-op for bicycle inner tubes. In this way Mountain Equipment Co-op could bring a greener product to market more quickly and cheaply than it could on its own.
Parker explained that initially the company’s lawyers opposed the Xchange. They felt intellectual property was always meant to be kept under wraps and guarded. But they’ve all come around to see the value of the Xchange, not only to the environment, but also bring competitive advantage to the company. When Nike’s patents are put into the commons, any improvements made to the patents will be available to Nike.
Parker said universities are a great source of intellectual property. What is needed – and what the Xchange provides – is a standard protocol whereby IP can bust out from the university and be helpful more broadly to business and society.
John Wilbanks, VP for Science at Creative Commons, said “There is so much duplication of effort and wasted resources when it comes to sustainability. We need to make it easier for individuals, companies, academia, and researchers to collaborate and share best practices.”
This idea of a patent commons came up at another session. Currently the planet has many commons like the ocean, air and space. Much of the Web is in the commons. It’s time we added a new area: know-how related to sustainability.
In Wikinomics co-author Anthony Williams and I argued that we’re living in a world where new approaches to collaboration enable new business models that empower companies to create better value for consumers. We said companies need a portfolio of intellectual property – some that they own and protect, some that they license and some that they share. The Green Xchange is all about achieving that.
Nike began this morning’s announcement with a cool video that made it clear that sustainability is not an obligation, it’s an opportunity. Companies can choose to be ahead of the curve or behind the times. The goal is to create an innovation community. No one is “giving away” their intellectual property; the exchange includes a licensing protocol.
“Nike is today committing to placing more than 400 of our patents on GX for research, demonstrating our belief that the best way to stimulate sustainable innovation is through open innovation,” said Mark Parker, Nike president and CEO. “Our hope is this will unleash new innovation to help solve current obstacles to sustainability issues.”
Example: Possible cross-industry benefits of making available Nike’s Environmentally Preferred Rubber. Used in Nike footwear the rubber contains 96 percent fewer toxins than the original formulation. By licensing the technology on GX it could be used in other company’s footwear, or it could hypothetically be used by Mountain Equipment Co-op for bicycle inner tubes. In this way Mountain Equipment Co-op could bring a greener product to market more quickly and cheaply than it could on its own.
Parker explained that initially the company’s lawyers opposed the Xchange. They felt intellectual property was always meant to be kept under wraps and guarded. But they’ve all come around to see the value of the Xchange, not only to the environment, but also bring competitive advantage to the company. When Nike’s patents are put into the commons, any improvements made to the patents will be available to Nike.
Parker said universities are a great source of intellectual property. What is needed – and what the Xchange provides – is a standard protocol whereby IP can bust out from the university and be helpful more broadly to business and society.
John Wilbanks, VP for Science at Creative Commons, said “There is so much duplication of effort and wasted resources when it comes to sustainability. We need to make it easier for individuals, companies, academia, and researchers to collaborate and share best practices.”
This idea of a patent commons came up at another session. Currently the planet has many commons like the ocean, air and space. Much of the Web is in the commons. It’s time we added a new area: know-how related to sustainability.
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