Bloomberg Law
April 6, 2018, 12:40 AM UTC

Microsoft Pledges to Let Joint Venture Partners Keep the Patents

Microsoft Corp. President Brad Smith said customers don’t have to worry that the company will help them develop new products and then set up a competing business.

In a blog post, Smith outlined a policy for what the company calls its Shared Innovation Initiative. It pledges that any patents or design rights that result from a joint work agreement will stay with the customer and not with Microsoft.

“There is growing concern that without an approach that ensures that customers own key patents to their new solutions, tech companies will use the knowledge to enter their customer’s market and compete ...

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