Sunil is the Vice President of Product Engineering at MaxVal. He is responsible for overall product management which includes roadmap planning and product releases. We had the opportunity to speak with Sunil, where he shared his thoughts on product management and the challenges facing IP professionals.
Can you share your background and what attracted you to the IP space?
Sunil Mishra (Sunil): For the last 25 years, I’ve worked in software development with a focus on product innovation, product lifecycle management, and solution architecture. Throughout my career, I have contributed significantly to organizations such as Infosys Finacle, McKinsey & Co., Accenture, and Oracle.
My focus on IP-driven product development is active and ongoing. During my tenure with the “Ecosystem Innovation Group” at Infosys Finacle, I played a pivotal role in the conceptualization, design, and development of innovative digital solutions like “Mobile Teller” and “Conversational Banking.” It was during this period that my interest in intellectual property grew significantly, as I witnessed firsthand how it fosters and sustains innovation.
What does a typical workday look like, and can you brief us a bit about your role and department?
Sunil: I head the product management team at MaxVal, where I appreciate the startup-style work environment that encourages brainstorming and innovation to provide creative solutions to our customers. I view product management as a critical piece of the puzzle. It’s where sales, marketing, operations, and implementation teams converge with input and direction from our customers to develop and refine product roadmaps. This ensures that our products are truly market-driven.
What are some typical questions and challenges IP professionals seek answers to in the current market?
Sunil: IP professionals often face challenges related to accessing data about their portfolios to make informed decisions. They need to be able to easily synthesize and manage tremendous amounts of data. They also need the ability to integrate third-party data to better understand gaps in coverage, litigation risks, opportunities for licensing, and areas for pruning.
Can you share a challenging technology issue you’ve worked on and the creative solutions you implemented to resolve it?
Sunil: One of the technical hurdles with any IP software involves keeping the product up-to-date with the constantly changing regulations across various regions and asset types. This is particularly crucial for our global customers with extensive patent portfolios spanning numerous jurisdictions. Failure to stay informed about rule changes could significantly impact our customers’ businesses, posing a substantial risk. To address this challenge, our Symphony product team at MaxVal has implemented a centralized rules engine that automatically updates all client deployments in near real-time. This technical solution mitigates risks by eliminating the need for manual intervention.
How do you see the role of Generative AI evolving, and what are some possible implications for the IP space?
Sunil: The field of intellectual property (IP) involves handling text-based data, which has traditionally been difficult to synthesize and process. However, modern generative AI models, particularly large language models, are adept at addressing these challenges. I anticipate various applications for such models in tasks like searching for prior art, drafting patent applications, and analyzing patent trends. By employing generative AI, it’s possible to automatically generate concise summaries of lengthy IP documents such as patents, legal briefs, or research papers. This can save time for IP professionals and stakeholders by quickly highlighting key points of the documents.
