AUSTIN, TEXAS (August 1, 2000) – Guard-IT Corporation has signed an agreement with PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, naming the software and intellectual property escrow company as a seat holder in connection with its Intellectual Property Exchanges ("IPEX").
Created and operated by the Intellectual Asset Management (IAM) Practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers, IPEX is an Internet portal that facilitates commercial intellectual asset transactions. Its Board of Trade is an online marketplace for companies and institutions that are interested in buying, selling, licensing, trading or auctioning intellectual property rights and technology. The Board of Trade hosts thousands of listings, which include descriptions of intellectual property rights and technologies.
Guard-IT Corporation is the third company invited to participate in PricewaterhouseCoopers licensing executive program as a seat holder on IPEX. As a seat holder, Guard-IT can list its clients' and associates' technology and other intellectual property on the exchange. This listing option will be bundled with Guard-IT's escrow services, expanding its offerings to owners and developers of technology and intellectual property.
The agreement also allows Guard-IT to begin marketing PwC's PricewaterhouseCoopers' IAM services and IPEX.net's online tools. The online tools comprise a suite of click-through analytics designed to assist the intellectual property owner or developer in preparing licensing strategies, estimating royalty rates and searching or comparing trademarks.
"This agreement will help Guard-IT and PricewaterhouseCoopers jointly educate and service a wide array of individuals and organizations that have intellectual property concerns," said Jim Ford, Guard-IT's founder and CEO.
Guard-IT's third-party escrow secures contracts and license agreements among IP and technology developers and their licensees, investors or other beneficiaries. Escrow protects the owner through the safekeeping of the materials and its independent authentication of ownership and proof of first-use.
Beneficiaries to escrow agreements are also protected, as the safekeeping and escrow contract preserve and bind the ownership, possession and rights-of-use of the parties under a variety of circumstances, such as termination of a license agreement, business failure or bankruptcy.
PricewaterhouseCoopers (www.pwcglobal.com) is the world's largest professional services organization. Drawing on the knowledge and skills of more than 150,000 people in 150 countries, PwC PricewaterhouseCoopers helps its clients solve complex business problems and measurably enhance their ability to build value, manage risk and improve performance in an Internet-enabled world.
Please note: The information contained in this press release does not constitute or imply any guarantee, warranty or endorsement of Guard-IT Corporation by PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP. Guard-IT Corporation, nor any of its principals or investors, is an audit client of PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP.
