Negotiating IP Security in the Age of Contractors

摘要

It all begins with a contract, an agreement between the client and the contractor that spells out what must remain confidential during the project. "Whether we're working with an independent inventor, an automotive and aerospace customer, or a military client, we typically start with the non-disclosure agreement (NDA)," says Tim Smith, vice president of design engineering, Altair Product Design Group. Dr. Metin Ozen, president of Ozen Engineering, concurs: "Ninety percent of the projects start with an NDA. The clients don't show us anything until the NDA is signed." On one end of the spectrum are clients who, because of compliance rules and market competition, demand absolute secrecy about their projects. Aerospace and automotive titans, military institutions, and government entities fall into this category. On the other end are independent inventors and startups, with a less predictable attitude to intellectual property (IP).