American Express Launches Intellectual Property Zone

NEW YORK,  April 26, 2011 — IP Zone Designed to Promote Advancement of IP Marketplace 

American Express today announced that it has created an Intellectual Property Zone (IP Zone) designed to promote the advancement of the intellectual property (IP) marketplace, including patents, trademarks, software and other IP products. The IP Zone(TM), which includes an online tool called Virtual Intellectual Property Exchange (VIPEX) and a physical office location, is a platform for buying and selling IP globally while cultivating an environment for open innovation and collaboration.

Currently launching in beta, IP Zone will work with a closed group of buyers and partners to manage deal opportunities and conduct live deals. The full launch for the IP Zone is planned for later this year, when the platform will be open to a broader number of businesses. Businesses will pay a membership fee to participate in the IP Zone, which also includes access to IP transaction courses, IP certifications and IP job training. American Express has partnered with Columbia University and The Intellectual Property and Knowledge Management Task force, an IP-focused research group based in Dallas, to co-produce a number of industry education courses about commercializing intellectual property.