BAT signs up to solicitors' IP service

INTERNET: specialist practitioner backed by tobacco giant in asset management site

British American Tobacco (BAT) is backing an Internet portal set up by leading IT/IP solicitor Peter Rouse, which hopes to tap into the global intellectual asset managementmarket worth 300 billion a year in the legal sector alone.

BAT is planning to retain Mr Rouse's new company, Geodesia, to manage its global asset portfolio and service provider network.

Geodesia's portal will go live in January.

It has given Geodesia a licence for its integrated intellectual property (IP) management system template that will be launched the following September.

The new company will host deal-style rooms and manage client relationships.

Michael Leathes, BAT's trademark portfolio manager, said the service will improve the company's relationship with its law firms.

The company has 125,000 registered trademarks - one of the largest trademark portfolios in the world - and retains 400 law firms in 200 different jurisdictions for IP work.

Mr Leathes said: 'At the moment, they keep their files on each matter, and we keep ours.

With Geodesia, we will work in the same electronic files and share live information, minimising delay, allowing closer collaboration and, I would expect, providing the chance to develop partnerships, rather than just client relationships.

We expect this will result in material improvements in efficiencies and costs.'

Branding consultancy Wolff Olins has taken a 13% equity stake in Geodesia, and marketing strategist Interregnum has taken 6.28%, with software company Merant International also considering joining the line-up.

BAT is providing financial support and resources.

Geodesia has raised 750,000 and is looking for a further 10 million.Mr Rouse is the founder of Rouse & Co International, a 10 million turnover IP consultancy business associated with London law firm Willoughby & Partners, where he is now a consultant.

He has quit Rouse & Co to start up the new portal.

Mr Rouse said the business has already received a great deal of interest from multi-nationals.

Geodesia plans to make money by selling subscriptions to its service provider software and services.

Geodesia is being marketed to IP owners and service providers, and estimates it could save then up to 40% in cost and time.

'Our Internet-based forum will allow asset owners and their professional advisers to manage their business relationships more effectively in a secure common communications and trading environment,' said Mr Rouse.

Anne Mizzi