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Innovation e-Review

The Innovation Review is the New York State Science & Technology Law Center's monthly newsletter, bringing information on a variety of economic, business, and technology related legal news as well as highlighting and profiling resources and events across the state.


IP/Regulatory Law Watch


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FTC Commissioner Wright Resigns

Joshua D. Wright stepped down from his post as Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission earlier this month. His resignation followed immediately after the FTC adopted a set of principles that explains how it views its authority over anti-competitive behavior under Section 5 of the FTC Act. Wright’s term began in January 2013 and was set to expire in September 2019. He will return to George Mason University School of Law as a professor and as director of the Global Antitrust Institute at the Law and Economics Center. The FTC will be guided by four commissioners until a replacement for Wright has been presented and approved by Congress.


Obama Administration launches wearable technology hub in Silicon Valley

The Obama Administration recently announced that the Department of Defense would invest $75 million over five years in a “flexible hybrid electronics” innovation hub in Silicon Valley. The FlexTech Alliance-led consortium includes major companies, nonprofit organizations, labs and universities, such as Apple, Hewlett-Packard, Boeing, General Motors, Motorola and Stanford. The Department of Defense and private consortium aim to “enhance the U.S.’s standing in next-generation bendable and wearable electronic devices… that can help monitor vital signs and physical states to improve quality of life for all people.” The West Coast hub, will be the seventh of nine technology institutes established by the Obama Administration since 2012. These are all part of a larger network intended to “advance U.S. leadership in manufacturing flexible hybrid electronics.”


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Suprema Inc. et al. v. ITC decision solidifies commission’s loopholes

A recent ruling by a split Federal Circuit determined that the International Trade Commission has the authority to prevent the importation of products that could prompt infringement of U.S. patents after they are imported, even if they don’t infringe at the time they enter the country. This ruling reverses a 2013 decision that covers only products that directly infringe U.S. patents at the time of importation.


Trans-Pacific Partnership

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a trade agreement between the United States and 11 other Pacific Rim countries that is said to “open markets, set high-standard trade rules, and address 21st-century issues in the global economy,” as well as “promote jobs and growth in the United States and across the Asia-Pacific region.” In a noble an attempt to “move toward freer global trade and more open markets for American products,” the clandestine 29-chapter agreement must be careful not to undermine U.S. rules on intellectual property. Some of these efforts include enforcement rules to protect against trademark counterfeiting and copyright piracy; strong protections for patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets; and specific pharmaceutical intellectual property provisions.


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Congress tries to pass trade secrets protection bill

The “Defend Trade Secrets Act” (“H.R. 3326”) attempts to stop the loss of hundreds of billions of dollars a year from the theft of corporate trade secrets by allowing companies to protect their trade secrets in federal court by a federal private right-of-action. The bill, introduced by Sen. Orin Hatch (R-Utah), is said to “[establish] a uniform standard for what constitutes trade secret theft and will give U.S. companies the ability to protect their trade secrets in federal court.” Since its introduction in July 2015, the bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, which will consider it before sending it to the Senate floor for consideration. As of September 8, the bill has 20 cosponsors comprised of 12 Republicans and eight Democrats.

 

Around New York State


First ever upstate entrepreneur awards to be held in October

Upstate Venture Connect in Syracuse and the Upstate Venture Association of New York in Guilderland are collaborating to recognize leaders in Upstate New York’s growing technology and startup hub. The collaboration, known as the Upstate Venture Ecosystem Awards, will take place October 9, 2015 at Turning Stone Resort in Verona, NY. Categories for awards include: Community Catalyst, Campus Connector, Magical Mentor, Deal of the Year, and Ecosystem Champion. Tickets for the event may be purchased here.


DemoDay

NEXUS-NY Demo Day

After nearly a year of guidance and cultivating, six startup companies will take the stage to pitch their businesses at NEXUS-NY’s 2015 Demo Day on October 27 at the George Eastman House in Rochester, NY. NEXUS-NY is a NYSERDA-sponsored organization devoted to supporting local startups in the clean energy industry and its program’s goal is to help companies in the critical phase between research and commercialization. Applications for the next year’s cohort will be open from October 15 – November 15, 2015 at nexus-ny.org.


MedTech

MEDTECH2015 Conference to be held in Buffalo

Executives and senior leaders from New York State’s Bio/Med industry will be gathering for MEDTECH2015: Convergence – Building Momentum for Growth on October 14 and 15 at the brand new HARBORCENTER in Buffalo, New York. The conference will focus on the need to “re-think the way players interact in the healthcare market – from development through adoption – leveraging the strengths of non-traditional partnerships to produce groundbreaking results.” Participants will be able to attend interactive panel discussions and workshops, take behind-the-scenes tours of the exciting investments in Buffalo’s downtown core, and much more. To learn more about the event, visit medtech.org/medtech2015.

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