AI Issue 6 2018

40 Acquisition International - Issue 6 2018 InTraCoM GmbH is a German-based, specialized service provider in the fields of patent valuation. We speak to Dr. Dierk-Oliver Kiehne and profile the firm, named Most Innovative Intellectual Property Solutions Firm 2018 – Germany in our 2018 Global Excellence Awards, to find out more. ince the firm’s founding in 2000, InTraCoM have been a strong partner on the side of companies when it comes to innovation and issues related to industrial property rights (patents, utility models). As an accomplished service provider, the company evaluate patents, patent families or entire corporate portfolios qualitatively and in monetary terms, i.e.; including valuation. Dierk-Oliver starts off by discussing the company’s approach to working with new clients, and explains why it is important to understand the requirements of the client before getting started. “Over the past 18 years, the firm’s methodologies and processes as well as software tools have been optimised to ensure ongoing excellence for clients. When working with new clients, the firm undertakes various approaches depending on the nature of the project and the client themselves. However, we must work out which approach is best suited to the client, and so they work hard to find out the client’s valuation scope. When working with new clients, the team introduces different approaches and suggests the ideal method for the given circumstances.” Dierk-Oliver outlines what attributes he believes companies must have in order to be successful in the industry, and he states that the team at InTraCoM possess a lot of these, contributing to its overwhelming success. “Operating within this industry, one of the most important attributes which we must possess is an ability to be innovative in our work, and ensure that our team is always one step ahead of any developments which are arising, which gives us a distinct advantage over our competitors. Subsequently, we invest a lot in R&D activities in close collaboration with partners in interdisciplinary teams. “Furthermore, internally we have a collaborative culture as we must be ready for any changes which come our way, and so we ensure that our staff are prepared for any advances in the sector. Operating with a long-term vision, the team ensures that everyone works together and aims to achieve the same mission, which is to exceed the expectations of our clients and gain their trust, enabling us to build relationships in which we guarantee them the best prices and services for a long period of time, this is vital for our stability.” Company: InTraCoM GmbH Contact: Dr. Dierk-Oliver Kiehne Address: Sigmaringer Str. 35, Stuttgart, 70567, Germany Phone: 0049 711 797 3280 Experience True Customer Satisfaction S 1805AI12 Internally, InTraCoM has fostered an internal culture which allows every single member of staff to have a say in the vision of the company. Allowing staff to maximise their potential is something Dierk-Oliver and his team take very seriously, and he explains that the leadership team always embrace the feedback that staff provide. “Each individual is asked to make active suggestions in order to improve their work or how to improve the success of the company. Having a cohesive team enables our team to have the freedom to look for new opportunities, and if these are promising, we look to develop these opportunities. extent. “Crucial to our success is that we invest a lot in R&D projects where we also collaborate with research organisations and other commercial partners, and for this to succeed, it is important that our staff work together. For most employees, it is also exciting and challenging to be able to participate in those kinds of projects.” Overall, this has led to widespread optimism amongst the team that the success of InTraCoM will continue long into the future. As the company continues to exceed expectations, Dierk-Oliver outlines what projects the firm has lined up for the times ahead. “Ultimately, we have found that the company insights represented by patents and their values are a very early indicator for later success. Different studies that were done in this field have also stated that innovative companies that document their innovation awareness with patents, have a better future prognosis, leaving us very excited about what the future holds. “Moreover, the assets of patents are in most cases not visible in the balance sheets, and this means that there are hidden assets. This was leading us to the idea that banks and investors might be very interested in our services and data, which is indeed the case. In close collaboration with foreign asset managers, we have proven that criteria that are only based on a company’s patent portfolio value, enabling to choose stock-listed companies that outperform competitors, the indexes they are in or even complete benchmarking sectors. Here, we are certain that in the future there will be a huge need for that kind of information and there will be investable products in the coming years.”