How to Conduct a Competitive IP Landscape Analysis

Competitive Intellectual Property (IP) landscape analysis is the systematic process of researching and mapping existing patents, trademarks, and other IP assets in a specific technology or market area.

This strategic assessment helps ventures understand what innovations already exist, identify opportunities for differentiation, and validate a Unique-Selling-Proposition (USP) as IP can be a great source of competitive intelligence. This validation is particularly important at the conceptual stage of a venture or when a venture is close to launching a new product onto the market.

Here are the key steps to follow to conduct your competitive IP landscape analysis.

1. Map existing solutions:

Start your research by mapping existing solutions to the identified problem. This search covers any publicly available information from IP databases, research articles, social media, etc. Remember that some solutions may not be commercially ready or may not be publicly available.

Tip: Search for the usual suspects, like well-known competitors in the industry of the relevant technology area. Do background research about the companies you find, some companies may register under different names.

2. Identify competitors:

Identify 5-10 direct or substitute solutions, and create a structured overview of existing products, technologies, or services that solve the same problem which are technically validated or commercially launched. This overview not only clarifies the competitive field but pinpoints where a new invention stands out when your venture goes to market.

Tip: try using different synonyms or languages to search for the same solution, as this may increase your mapping exercise.

3. Fill out the competitive landscape matrix to validate your USP

Download and fill out the research data into the provided matrix [PDF] that helps your venture keep track of competitors in order to validate your USP and protect it with IP. Use this matrix as a living document: update it as a venture discovers new competitors or as technology evolves. It will guide both the IP strategy and the broader commercialization roadmap.

4. Scan IP landscape

Use different IP databases to conduct an initial IP scan for the assets your venture needs as part of your USP. In addition to other commercial databases, WIPO offers a wide range below:

• For patents: https://patentscope.wipo.int/
• For brands/ trademarks: https://www.wipo.int/en/web/global-brand-database or https://www3.wipo.int/madrid/monitor/en/
• For registered designs: https://www.wipo.int/designdb/en/index.jsp
• For geographical indications and appellation of origin: https://lisbon-express.wipo.int/

5. Analyze results and adjust IP strategy

Analyze results and use filters to identify technology landscape, associated IP assets with each technology, key players in that field, and key markets with most demand and competition. Remember that competitors you find in your scan may become commercial leads, R&D collaborators or IP partners.

6. Update analysis as your venture grows

As your venture grows and your innovation evolves, make sure you keep your matrix and analysis up-to-date. This will help your venture keep a cost-effective IP strategy that takes into account other players in the market, while also maximizing opportunities for partnerships and growth.

Competitive IP landscape analysis’s insights

The IP landscape analysis will reveal key information for your venture, such as:

• Technology trends: patents and IP describe technological trends and developments.
• Technology investors: IP is a commitment and investment, check who is allocating resources in a particular field.
• Markets where IP is protected: IP is country-specific, get a sense of key markets for the technology of interest and USP.

Based on the resulting information, your venture has various options. It can either deviate from the existing IP landscape, scout existing technologies/IP from others or secure protection for commercially relevant IP assets.

Conducting a competitive IP landscape analysis is an essential strategic process that helps ventures map existing solutions, validate their USP, and develop a cost-effective IP strategy to stay competitive and identify opportunities for growth and collaboration.