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Our Technology Affiliate Partner
First Principals, Inc. (FPI) is a full-service
technology transfer company in formal partnership with Merkel & Associates. FPI serves large and small corporations, universities,
and government laboratories possessing technical innovations at various stages of commercial development. Through European
marketing affiliates and alliances with several patent law firms, FPI provides a comprehensive matrix of technology services
on a global basis. These include, but are not limited to, Patent Licensing, Intellectual Property Management, Competitor Assessment,
Technology Due Diligence, Technology and Patent Strategy Development, Strategic Alliance and Capital Sourcing. Collectively,
FPI’s staff has assessed more than 3000 technologies in more than 200 technical fields. FPI shares offices with Merkel
& Associates and provides us with in-depth company research capabilities covering all industries and technology-related
expertise seldom found in middle-market investment banking firms. First Principals, Inc. was founded in early 1998 by former executives of Competitive Technologies of Ohio, a subsidiary of Competitive Technologies, Inc. (AMEX: CTT) of Fairfield, CT. Its staff has extensive experience in assessing, packaging, and marketing technologies from large corporate portfolios. These capabilities have been adapted to the needs of smaller clients. In partnership with FPI, Merkel & Associates is able to provide a superior fit between buyer and seller, licensor and licensee or equity source and recipient. The net result is higher proceeds for seller clients, more confident acquisitions for buyer clients, improved development strategies, enhanced licensing revenues and greater access to outside investment.
Dr. Stephen P. Weeks is the President of First Principals, Inc. and Technology Advisor for Merkel & Associates. He is an experienced technical and business development director with over 20 years of domestic and international assignments. Steve previously served as a research scientist and team leader at AT&T-Bell Labs (now Alcatel-Lucent), Business Coordinator for British Petroleum’s ventures and technology transfer operations in London, UK, and Manager of BP’s US Shared Technologies Division. At both AT&T and BP, he worked closely with company patent attorneys in forming patent strategies and in portfolio management. At BP Steve was a member of the company’s international patents committee. More recently, he was Corporate Senior Vice President at Competitive Technologies, Inc., and President of their Intercorporate Licensing subsidiary. As part of his client relationship with IBM, Steve worked closely with IBM’s patent staff in making decisions regarding portfolio management and licensing strategies. Other clients include Bell Atlantic, Matsushita, Chrysler, Corning, and Welch Allyn. Under Steve’s direction, First Principals has expanded its licensing services to include Intellectual Property Management, Competitor Assessment, Technology Due Diligence, Technology and Patent Strategy Development, and Investment & Alliance Sourcing. Steve holds a BS in Physics from the University of Delaware, an MS in Physics from William and Mary, and a Ph.D. in Solid State Physics from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Licensing Executives Society, the Technology Transfer Society, the American Physical Society, and several local Cleveland Organizations. |
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