IPTalons, Inc.

"Whatever stage your organization is in, from start-up to Fortune 500, subscribing to the Innovation DefenderTM will provide the expertise you need to protect your innovation and strengthen your competitiveness." Subscribe today to Innovation DefenderTM by visiting our website or scanning the QR code on the screen.

Research Security and Insider Threat Management starts with your people. Most employees, contractors, and supply chain partners are unaware of the internal and external threats posed by foreign influence, nation-state-sponsored, and commercial competitive threat actors that exploit well-meaning people with access to research, trade secrets, and proprietary information. As a result, 95% of insider IP loss and theft is unintentional. Learn to protect yourself, your teams, and your intellectual property from espionage, competitive theft, and accidental public disclosures

The University of Michigan (U-M) is ending its two-decade partnership with Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) following national security concerns raised by the U.S. House Select Committee on Strategic Competition with China. Established in 2005, the UM-SJTU Joint Institute provided engineering degrees, dual programs, and study-abroad opportunities for over 1,000 students. President Santa J. Ono emphasized U-M’s commitment to international education while prioritizing national security. Current students can complete their degrees, but the decision marks a shift in U.S.-China academic collaborations. U-M plans to pursue global partnerships that align with rigorous academic and security standards. https://lnkd.in/eNpNdfwx

Being a start-up comes with many challenges. Director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, Mike Casey, highlights the growing challenge startups face from foreign government's stealing IP and recruiting insiders. Casey notes the complexities facing startups, the need to protect IP, and the importance of establishing a security office. However, Casey misses the opportunity to recognize the cost and burden of developing a professional research security program in the startup environment. Fortunately, IPTalons' recognized the need for startups and private institutions to protect their IP and developed Innovation Defender. Innovation Defender is a cost-effective solution to protect your institution's valuable IP from insider threats and foreign influence operations. Contact us today to learn more about Innovation Defender and how you can protect your time, resources, and people. https://lnkd.in/ead7gU7M

IPTalons is excited to participate in this fantastic event! We look forward to the speaker sessions, networking, and sharing research security best practices and emerging trends. If you are involved in research security, export control, award management, or other aspects of research compliance, consider attending this "not-to-be-missed" event. #ASCE #IPTalons #researchsecurity #RedBook

Italy is developing a plan to protect universities and research from foreign influence, particularly in biomedicine, robotics, and semiconductors. The initiative aims to address exploitation through sponsorships and donations. https://lnkd.in/eGuAJ9Bp

Putting people first: Innovation Defense Academy. Meet your NSPM-33 training requirements in 30 minutes. Most employees, contractors, and supply chain partners are unaware of the internal and external threats posed by foreign influence, nation-state-sponsored, and commercial competitive threat actors that exploit well-meaning people with access to research, trade secrets, and proprietary information. As a result, 95% of insider IP loss and theft is unintentional. Learn to protect yourself, your teams, and your intellectual property from espionage, competitive theft, and accidental public disclosures

As many security and insider threat experts can attest, staff reductions, elimination of research programs, and general employee layoffs increase the risk of misuse, loss, and theft of your intellectual property assets, especially your trade secrets and related sensitive information. We will likely see more layoffs coming in 2025 as economic pressures hit specific critical technology sectors, including the biotech and pharmaceutical industries. As Fierce Biotech reported, biopharma layoffs rose slightly in 2024 compared to the previous year, though the number of layoff rounds across Big Pharma skyrocketed by 281%. In 2024, Fierce Biotech reported 192 industry layoff rounds, 3% more than in 2023, when 187 rounds were tallied. For companies implementing more than one workforce reduction in a year, rounds are reported as disclosed and are not combined per company. While it's difficult to fully understand the human impact of layoffs, according to data from the Fierce Biotech Layoff Tracker, at least 15,134 people lost their jobs from the 86 companies reporting numbers last year. The remaining companies either reported layoffs as a percentage of their workforce or didn’t share how many staff members would be laid off. Of the 99 times that companies provided a percentage of staff receiving pink slips, the average reduction was 38%. Managing the human factor is critical in effectively mitigating IP loss during staffing reductions. It is also essential to assess how a reduction in force decision can impact your trade secrets based on who has access to them and the roles that will be eliminated. If your company or organization plans to lay off employees or terminate contractors or external partners, please contact IPTalons for advice on how best to implement a trade secret protection strategy as part of your plan. If you are an employee who may be impacted, you can also contact us to learn how to avoid common mistakes that exiting employees make that can lead to losing separation packages or impacting future roles. https://lnkd.in/gz8j8wq9

The University of Delaware (UD) will pay $715,580 to settle allegations of failing to disclose a professor’s ties to the Chinese government in a 2020 NASA grant application. Federal law bars NASA from collaborating with China, but the professor allegedly had affiliations with a Chinese university, a government recruitment program, and funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China. U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss stressed the need for transparency in federal grant processes and protecting taxpayer funds. https://lnkd.in/ek9dU9Pv

In 2025, protecting your information and research from foreign influence is more critical than ever. As global tensions rise and emerging technologies reshape innovation, safeguarding intellectual property is essential for maintaining competitive and national advantages. Foreign threats are increasingly sophisticated, targeting valuable data in academia, private industry, and government institutions. A single breach can compromise years of work, damage reputations, and risk economic and strategic losses. This year, prioritize security measures to ensure your research and intellectual assets remain resilient against evolving threats in an interconnected world.