Partnerships in the Tech Industry; A Game of Leverage, Patents

By Webimax Company | March 11 2012 8:37 AM

Establishing collaborations, partnerships, and even acquisitions are a common practice in the world of business. You could argue that they are much more prevalent now than in the past; however the reality is they have been a part of business for a long time. These partnerships are being seen in great numbers though from big industry players in the tech sector as of late. The practice is a strategy to leverage innovation potential in an effort to extend or gain market share in a given segment.

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From Microsoft's Bing partnering with Yahoo to Google acquiring Motorola Mobility, and now Microsoft's partnership with Nokia, these partnerships are prevalent in the tech industry given the dynamic nature of the sector. Technology and the internet is quickly changing and for companies to adapt, they often need to join forces and utilize each other's strengths and most importantly, patents. The tech industry has become a battleground for patent wars waged between tech entities of all sizes.

Patents will often dictate what a company can and cannot do, and thus when one company can leverage their patents with those of another company, they have the potential to bring a more optimal innovation to the market, hopefully gain more customers in the process. When companies do not have the patents they need but still press forward with plans that may infringe on another company's property in terms of patents, they find themselves defending their actions in court. The back and forth that ensues is a strategic game that experts contend companies engage in to divert the attention and resources of competitors away from their operations.

SEO companies can engage in similar partnerships with businesses who have unique services in their industries or sectors that can extend the reach of an SEO company. Such partnerships are valuable because SEO companies can optimize for clients' presence online, but also offer additional services through their partnerships. Businesses across sectors can evaluate their position and look to for such partnerships and collaborations to increase their business.