Course Description
This course teaches the essentials for a startup founder to build a valuable patent portfolio and avoid a patent infringement lawsuit. The course is taught by Jeffrey Schox, based on the concepts of experiential learning. Jeffrey Schox founded Schox Patent Group, which is the law firm that wrote the patents for
Coinbase, Cruise, Duo, Joby, Twilio and 500+ other startups that have collectively raised over $10B in venture capital. Students are organized into small groups and assigned to a real-life inventor. Under an NDA, the students work independently to capture the invention from the inventor, conduct a patentability analysis, write a provisional application, and conduct an infringement analysis. For those that are interested, this course also allows students to explore a potential career in patent law. This course is appropriate for students with any engineering background. There are no prerequisites for this course, but the student must be upperclass students or graduate level.
Application
Instructor
Jeff Schox
Jeffrey Schox is the founder of Schox Patent Group, a boutique patent firm focused on startups, and a
general partner at Trucks Venture Capital, which funds the entrepreneurs building the future of
transportation. Previously, Jeff worked as an engineer on the original electric vehicle at General Motors
and as a patent attorney for two of the largest patent law firms before starting his own law firm. Schox
Patent Group developed the patent strategy and wrote the patents for Coinbase, Cruise, Duo, Joby,
Twilio, and 500+ other startups that have collectively raised $10B in venture capital. Trucks Venture
Capital, which is now on their third fund, has made 50+ investments, including Gatik, May Mobility,
Denim, Joby, Universal Hydrogen, and Skyryse. Jeff has made 100+ angel investments in startups,
including Twilio (first investor, IPO) and Cruise (early investor, acquired by GM for a reported $1B). As a
Lecturer for Stanford University, Jeff teaches the course "Patent Law and Strategy for Innovators and
Entrepreneurs.”