Kapu Kumar

Chief Operating Officer, Patent Platform Services

Kapu Kumar is an intellectual property executive with 30 years of experience in intellectual property management, technology commercialization, strategy and licensing program development, and intellectual property licensing. During her career, Kapu has successfully generated over $750M through negotiations and closed deals with companies in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Kapu is recognized as one of the world's leading IP strategists (IAM Strategy 300, 2019-2020).

Kapu spent more than 12 years monetizing patents for IPValue Management.  Kapu was a member of the company’s executive team, with primary responsibility to manage and lead patent licensing programs for various partners of IPValue.  

Before IPValue, Kapu focused on the licensing and monetization of patents and technology developed by Bell Labs for more than 17 years.  This included positions in the intellectual property groups at Agere Systems, Lucent Technologies, and AT&T, as well as Lucent Bell Labs Research.  At Agere Systems, Kapu led the intellectual property business team handling patent license negotiations with various US, European, and Asian companies as well as managing the technical, contract management, and financial aspects of the business.  As part of Bell Labs Research, Kapu’s managed the commercialization of Bell Labs Research technologies with licensing programs in semiconductors, speech and video technologies, and optical media, as well as partnered with the Lucent’s New Ventures Group to launch businesses based upon Bell Labs’ technologies.  

Kapu started her intellectual property career at AT&T where she was instrumental in growing licensing revenues; negotiating business partner agreements; and developing business plans for markets in the United States and overseas.  Prior to the focus on intellectual property, Kapu began her career in AT&T’s semiconductor business as a process and product engineer.

Kapu holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Rochester.