Emerging strategic portfolios are developed to protect new ventures’ and existing business’ ability to exclude others, and sometimes to enhance the ability to attract key development partners. In this situation, it is typically too early to knowledgeably assess a patent or embryonic portfolios’ value to the company. Such patents are best quantitatively evaluated on their fit with strategic technology readiness or embryonic business venture plans. They are also qualitatively evaluated by thoughtful assessment of their likely business use and IP role. By putting invention disclosures, patent applications and granted patents on a complete company’s IAM grid, over- or under-weighting of patent investments can be visualized as seen in the “Emerging Strategic Portfolio” figure.

As strategic plans turn into capital expenditure requests and operations plans, the embryonic portfolios can then be assessed by the best-practice methods described above.