The Cryptocurrency Open Patent Alliance has partnered with Unified Patents to launch Blockchain Zone, an initiative aimed at combating patent trolls in the crypto industry. The partnership seeks to protect blockchain and related technologies from unwarranted patent assertions by non-practising entities. COPA and Unified Patents believe these “patent trolls” hinder innovation and stifle the growth of the crypto-economy.
COPA, Unified Patents Partner to Fight Crypto Patent Trolls
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Patent Trolls Hinder Innovation
The Cryptocurrency Open Patent Alliance (COPA), a nonprofit community, has partnered with Unified Patents to launch Blockchain Zone, an initiative aimed at challenging crypto patents owned by non-practising entities (NPEs). The partnership seeks to deter NPEs, often referred to as “patent trolls,” from threatening blockchain and related technologies.
In a statement, the alliance expressed its goal of ensuring blockchain-based technologies are not unduly impacted by unwarranted and costly assertions by entities seeking to profit from patent litigations. Commenting on Blockchain Zone, Paul Grewal, Chief Legal Officer at Coinbase, said:
Patent trolls are barriers in the path of innovation; they hinder the progress of technology and stifle the spirit of creativity, particularly in the fast-evolving world of cryptocurrency. They must be stopped so that the community can continue to do the important business of building the crypto-economy.
Steve Lee, Lead at Spiral and a COPA member, said the nonprofit community has worked diligently to reduce barriers to crypto innovation. The partnership with Unified Patents will further the organization’s mission to protect community members from patent trolls.
Kevin Jakel, founder and CEO of Unified Patents, praised the partnership with COPA as a “wonderful opportunity” to ensure the technology remains free and unhindered by “all-too-common baseless patent assertions affecting other sectors of the economy.”
The statement noted that COPA’s collaboration with Unified Patents will join over 300 other companies committed to deterring the assertion of invalid patents by NPEs.
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