Jason Galanis: Pioneer of Intellectual Property Investments

Los Angeles (Sharewell Newswire.com) January 28, 2013 - Since 1988, Jason Galanis has been an investor in financial technology companies and trademark creation with a focus on intellectual property. This foresight took Jason Galanis down a path of success that found him as a principal of Holmby Capital Group, which Jason Galanis organized in 2002 as a company focused on investments in enterprises with intellectual property-based competitive advantages. 

With the advent of the information technology age, the legal concept of intellectual property has become a common term within society’s lexicon. With foresight, Jason Galanis saw the importance of intellectual property for technology companies when it was just a glimmer of light on the horizon of what is now our current business and societal climate.

Intellectual property refers to creations or inventions of the mind. Intellectual property law grants rights to the creators of art, music, and literary works principally under trademark and copyright protections. Creators of intellectual property are entitled to property rights that enable them to commercially benefit from their original work. In addition, inventions and discoveries fall under the protection of the law, typically provided protection under modern patent law..

Intellectual property rights in America is not itself new. In the colonial era, in order to protect an invention, a formal approval from the colony’s chief was required. The first known patent on US soil was granted by the Massachusetts General Court.to Samuel Winslow in 1641 for a new method of making salt

The United States Constitution was drafted during the Industrial Revolution, a time of great innovation in America. The Constitution, adopted in 1789, grants Congress the power “to promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries”. The Industrial Revolution and the quest for technology, prompted a pro-patent environment throughout the 19th century.

After some decline in favorable public perception, in the 1980’s and ’90s the atmosphere once again became pro-patent. The patent was seen as not only a business need but also a means to protect inventors. Patents became important, and they began to signify the importance of technology, invention, and discovery to the US. In 2011, the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA) enacted the most significant change to the U.S. patent system since 1952.

Jason Galanis’ investments in intellectual property pre-dated recent high profile patent litigation and multi billion dollar patent acquisitions, like the Apple and Samsung billion dollar patent infringement judgment, or the $13 billion Google acquisition of Motorola’s patent portfolio or the less well remembered settlement by Blackberry’s maker, RIM, for $612 million that prevented a countrywide shut down of all Blackberry’s, threating government and private business operations. Patents, patent acquisition and patent litigation are now in the mainstream consciousness of Americans and most certainly is in the minds of corporate boardrooms globally.

About Jason Galanis:

Jason Woodruff Galanis is an American financier focused on structured finance in distressed debt and venture capital investments with an emphasis on financial services and intellectual property asset classes (patents; trademarks; brands; content). Prior to his investment career, he founded and operated a 350-employee financial technology business in the credit card industry funded by grain giant Cargill and minority owned by Electronic Data Systems, a Hewlett-Packard company, subsequently exited successfully to private equity buyers. He also lead the LBO acquisition of the largest online credit card billing company in the US. He has lead investments in iconic American entertainment brands in the publishing business. Galanis is a financial technology inventor with numerous patent applications submitted and active investor, having acquired multiple patent portfolios. His investments often include advisory engagements where Galanis is personally active.