With 2015 reaching its halfway mark, it is time to pause and reflect on what has been one of the most exciting years for us here at Foresight! Working from the heart of Silicon Valley, we get a front-row seat to the changing trends in technology and valuation, where new business models are emerging on a daily basis. We continued our rapid growth, adding new clients on both our IP and Startup services. Some of our new engagements this year cover promising and emerging fields, such as 3D printing, wearables, AgriTech, HR technology and data center optimization.
While this year has been a somewhat challenging year for IP transactions due to the adverse political and judiciary climate, we are delighted to see that the intersection of IP and startup funding is a thriving area, where investors are taking notice of the value of IP assets in their funding decisions. One of our clients has just closed a significant round of debt and equity funding based on an IP valuation analysis that we provided, something we rarely see even from our vantage point in Silicon Valley.
We continue our efforts to spread the word about the importance of IP strategy through education, media writing and conference speaking. We are actively involved with Licensing Executive Society (LES), both at the national leadership level (through the IoT committee that I chair), as well as through sponsorship of the LES Silicon Valley chapter. Last March, we sponsored an Internet of Things (IoT) IoT event, featuring an expert panel of speakers from Samsung, Stanford University, and some local startups.
One of my personal highlights this year has been my annual Stanford class, which I have taught for the fourth time this year at the Graduate School of Business (GSB). This year we created a new simulation project where the students had a chance to interact with a real-world IP situation and devise strategy and recommendations. Another personal highlight was being selected for the IAM 300 list of leading IP Strategists for the third year in a row, joining an esteemed group of IP industry leaders.
We are looking forward to seeing many of you at our Palo Alto office or in one of several upcoming events that we organize or plan to attend. We value having you as part of the Foresight family and look forward to the second half of 2015 with great anticipation!
Warm Regards,
Efrat Kasznik, President