Patents are more than legal protection: used strategically, they can become one of a company's most valuable business assets. In the latest episode of INSIGHT epi, the podcast of the European Patent Institute, released on 23 September 2026, our colleague Michael Thesen talks with patent attorney Rolf Claessen, who has compiled fifty documented cases of companies whose patent strategy made a decisive difference.
Using examples such as IBM and Dyson, the two discuss how companies have turned their portfolios into value through licensing and enforcement. They also address the key strategic decisions every company faces: when to seek protection, when to enforce, when opening up a portfolio can help to build a market, and why a successful IP strategy needs to be in place long before a dispute arises.
Listen to the episode (approx. 27 minutes):
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/insight-epi-the-podcast-for-european-patent-professionals/id1740314341
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/30RQc2sKxeZfgiFUGgsYgn
epi website: https://www.epi-learning.org/course/view.php?id=129