Zak Tutino is MaxVal’s Vice President of Corporate and Legal Sales and a veteran of the IP software and services space. We recently sat down with him for a conversation on what has drawn him to the space, the challenges facing IP departments, and what changes he sees on the horizon.
Q1: Zak, could you start by sharing a bit about your background and what initially drew you to the field of intellectual property? How has your career evolved over time?
My interest in intellectual property began at a very young age. I recently came across a drawing I made when I was just three years old—an invention of sorts, showcasing my early fascination with creating and inventing things. Though I never pursued an engineering background, my curiosity in innovation remained strong. After college, I had the opportunity to work with some amazing people at Thomson Reuters. This experience marked the beginning of my journey in the IP field, where I collaborated with law firms and corporations to develop programs that enhance efficiency within their IP management processes.
Over the years, I’ve spent considerable time working closely with clients, and what continues to captivate me is the technology and the foresight it offers into the future. Being at the forefront of innovation—whether in life sciences, software, or electrical engineering—is incredibly exciting. That’s what brought me into the IP space and what keeps me here.
Q2: You’ve been in this field for a long time. Would you say it’s the innovation that has kept you engaged? What has motivated you to stay in this space?
Absolutely. But beyond the thrill of innovation, it’s the people I collaborate with that make this field truly exceptional. Serving as a state committee chair and board member of the US IP Alliance has allowed me to focus on critical areas like diversity and inclusion, IP education, and fostering a collaborative IP ecosystem. I’ve had the opportunity to engage with some of the most brilliant minds—engineers, legal experts, and even judges. The conversations I find most exhilarating are often with engineers and top inventors who are at the forefront of innovation in their organizations. It’s fascinating to learn how they navigate the journey from concept to commercialization, a complex process involving many contributors. The variety of backgrounds and expertise among these professionals keeps the work dynamic and continually inspiring for me.
Q3: What do you think are some of the biggest challenges facing IP professionals today, and how are they responding to those challenges?
One of the biggest challenges is time. The pace of innovation has accelerated significantly, and the time it takes to bring new products to market has shortened. It’s really a race to innovate, and by extension, a race to patent. The patent process itself can be quite complex, so managing this time effectively is crucial. On the other hand, there’s also the challenge of how to make the substantive work of IP professionals more efficient. Moving processes from one person to another smoothly, optimizing workflows, and making traditionally tedious tasks like patent prosecution and discovery less burdensome are ongoing challenges that we’re constantly addressing.
Q4: Looking ahead, what major changes or trends do you foresee in the IP landscape over the next five years? How do you see IP management evolving?
I anticipate a significant increase in collaboration between platforms. Companies will be looking for that single source of truth—a unified space where ideas and technology can come together seamlessly. For instance, tools that integrate ideation with search capabilities, or artificial intelligence that aids in drafting and preparation, will become more prevalent. We’re moving toward an ecosystem that can work with multiple other ecosystems, driving a more seamless innovation lifecycle and bringing efficiencies that were previously unattainable.
Q5: Finally, do you see any shifts coming for the IP services market in the near future?
Yes, I believe we’ll continue to see a trend towards greater automation. Vendors and service providers will keep innovating their internal practices to offer more cost and time savings to their clients. This shift will allow clients to expand their innovation efforts, whether in terms of quantity or quality.
