The Patent Economy

Perhaps you’ve noticed headlines about firms like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft paying hundreds of millions of dollars to buy up other companies’ patents.

Has it occurred to you to wonder why?

Two Virginia-based patent researchers say the answer is far more complicated than most people understand, and that patent law has become so convoluted it could be threatening the future of our economy.

Guests:
David E. Martin, PhD - Founder and CEO of the international patent investigations firm M-cam.

Mary Margaret Frank,  PhD - Specialist in tax policy and the economic impact of tax and patent law policy.  Associate Professor, Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia.