Reimagining Intellectual Property in the Age of Luxury Tech: I’m curating this exclusive side event in Geneva on September 1 during the Luxury Innovation Summit. Limited seats, apply now to join the conversation.

On this episode, we discuss how the explosive growth of the influencer economy has created a fascinating new frontier in intellectual property law, where personal brands clash with corporate interests and digital avatars raise unprecedented legal questions.

This episode unpacks the high-stakes IP battles reshaping the $20 billion influencer industry, revealing how savvy creators protect their most valuable asset, their identity. Through compelling case studies like Charli D’Amelio’s strategic trademark registrations and the legendary “Battle of the Kylies” between Jenner and Minogue, we explore how influencers transform fleeting social media fame into lasting, legally-protected brand equity.

But the legal landscape doesn’t just apply to human influencers. We venture into the uncanny valley of virtual personalities like Lil Miquella and Noonoouri, examining how these digital beings, composed entirely of intellectual property, navigate contracts, licensing, and disclosure requirements. As luxury brands increasingly embrace these pixel-perfect ambassadors who never age and never sleep, the boundaries between creative assets and personas continue to blur.

The global response to these challenges reveals fascinating cultural and legal differences. From Tennessee’s groundbreaking AI-ELVIS Act protecting voice rights to China’s comprehensive regulations on “deep synthesis” content, we witness how legal frameworks worldwide are evolving to address deepfakes, digital cloning, and the ownership of virtual identities.

Whether you’re an influencer building your personal brand, a marketer navigating partnership agreements, or simply curious about the legal infrastructure behind social media fame, this episode offers crucial insights into who truly owns your digital presence—and how to protect it. Remember: in the high-stakes world of influence, the law isn’t here to rain on your parade; it’s here to ensure you own the parade itself.

Subscribe now to explore the intersection of intellectual property and digital influence, and join us at the Luxury Innovation Summit 2025 in Geneva this September for our special event on IP in the age of luxury technology.

The Afterlife of Innovation: Can IP Outlive the Business That Created It? – Intangiblia™

A company can vanish from your pocket and still show up in court and that is not a metaphor. We take a hard look at the afterlife of innovation and the real business question behind it: can intellectual property outlive the company that created it, and if so, what legal structures make that possible?We trace six vivid case studies that turn “failed products” into ongoing value. BlackBerry shows how patent monetization and portfolio restructuring can create immediate liquidity while keeping a long royalty tail and upside participation. Nokia shows what happens when IP moves from consumer devices into network infrastructure, where standards essential patents and FRAND commitments can produce durable, recurring IP licensing revenue. Ericsson takes the same idea and makes it operational, using deals that shift ownership to specialist entities while retaining tiered revenue shares, aligning incentives and keeping the program disciplined.Then the tone gets sharper: Nortel reveals how bankruptcy restructuring can turn patents into the centerpiece of an estate, driving auctions and creditor recovery. Kodak demonstrates how timing, litigation risk, title clarity, and negotiation pressure can reshape patent portfolio valuation, even when the underlying innovation is strong. Technicolor closes the loop with a deal engineered like a financial instrument: cash up front, future revenue participation, and a license back to keep operating.If your business changed tomorrow, would your intellectual property still be creating value? Subscribe, share this with your team, and leave a review with the one IP strategy you want us to unpack next.Send us Fan MailCheck out "Protection for the Inventive Mind" – available now on Amazon in print and Kindle formats.The views and opinions expressed (by the host and guest(s)) in this podcast are strictly their own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the entities with which they may be affiliated. This podcast should in no way be construed as promoting or criticizing any particular government policy, institutional position, private interest or commercial entity. Any content provided is for informational and educational purposes only.

1. The Afterlife of Innovation: Can IP Outlive the Business That Created It? 19:44
2. Case Study: Lindt’s Gold Bunny Trademark Saga 22:40
3. What Kind of Negotiator Are You, Really? 39:39
4. Founders, Funders, Futures: Rising at Start Summit 2026 13:29
5. The Legal Dugout: Baseball’s Intellectual Property All Stars 34:01