Photonics is rapidly transforming from a primarily academic discipline into a driving force of industrial innovation. As part of this transformation, photonics companies need to treat their intellectual property as a forward-looking business asset. 

In this episode of IP Talk with Wolf Greenfield, Michele Moresco, a shareholder in the Electrical & Computer Technologies practice, explains how a  combination of thoughtful patenting, robust trade secret protection, early coordination, and litigation readiness can help companies thrive in this competitive and fast-evolving field. 

Prior to joining Wolf Greenfield, Michele worked as a research scientist at Photonic Corporation and was also a postdoctoral associate at MIT, where—among other things—he led the operations of a DARPA-funded project to develop a silicon photonics fabrication platform for high volume manufacturing.

Here are a few highlights from the conversation:

01:15 - Michele describes his work at Wolf Greenfield.

02:23 - An overview of photonics—what it is and where we will see its impact.

04:22 - A comprehensive photonics IP strategy goes far beyond simple patent filings and procurement.

06:31 - The intellectual property strategy should be developed early as a company transitions from being an academic initiative to commercialization. 

 07:55 - Thoughts on the importance of protecting trade secrets.

09:33 - Multiple levels of the supply chain should be covered by a company’s IP strategy. 

11:12 - Michele offers an explanation of omnibus applications.

12:58 - Adopting comprehensive defensive strategies early may help deal with competitor disputes in the future. 

14:47 - It’s critical for the legal and technical teams to stay properly aligned as the organization grows. 

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