Global Standards Leadership Conference

June 18, 2026 | 8:00AM – 5:00PM PT

Global Standards Leadership Conference

Discuss The Future of SEPs and Standards.

“Screens with program code moving as in a mainframe. Reporting the similar idea of technology, computers, Internet, data or other subjects.”

About Standards Leadership Conference

For the fifth year in a row, the Global Standards Leadership Conference brings together top thought leaders to tackle the biggest issues in Standard Essential Patents, FRAND licensing, high-stakes litigation, standards development, and policy. After successful events at Northwestern University (Chicago, 2022), UC San Diego (2023), UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business (2024), and the University of Boston (2025), we’re thrilled to announce that the 2026 conference will be held in San Diego.

This year, C-level executives and industry experts will explore the future of SEP licensing, FRAND determination, litigation trends, and cross-jurisdiction policy debates. Attendees will gain unique insights into how AI and next-generation standards in cellular, wireless, video, audio, and memory technologies are shaping the next wave of innovation.

Agenda

The success of standards like 4G, 5G, soon 6G, Wi‑Fi, and video or audio codecs is reshaping legal and business frameworks—but the road ahead is complex. Geopolitical tensions, global disputes, and local regulations create significant challenges and uncertainty for both SEP owners and implementers.

The Global Standards Leadership Conference (GSLC) brings together leaders from intellectual property, standardization, government, and academia. Founded and organized by Tim Pohlmann (Managing Director Americas, LexisNexis IP), Justus Baron (BRELA and FRANDLY), and Kirti Gupta (Cornerstone Research), GSLC bridges the worlds of licensing, litigation, policy, academia, and industry. The conference fosters robust discussions, debates, and connections among professionals, all working to promote common standards that drive innovation worldwide.

08:00 AM – 09:00 AM

Registration & Networking Breakfast

09:00 AM – 09:15 AM

Welcome Remarks – Tim Pohlmann

09:15 AM – 10:30 AM

Panel Session 1: Streaming Media SEP Licensing: From Device-Level Licensing to Usage-Based Licensing

10:30 AM – 11:00 AM

Coffee Break

11:00 AM – 12:15 PM

Panel Session 2: SEP Licensing in the AI Era: Infrastructure, Memory Standards and the Next Frontier of Royalty Models

12:15 PM – 01:15 PM

Lunch Break

01:15 PM – 02:30 PM

Panel Session 3: Global SEP Disputes and FRAND Frameworks

02:30 PM – 03:00 PM

Coffee Break

03:00 PM – 04:00 PM

Panel Session 4: The Future of Cellular SEP Licensing

04:00 PM – 05:00 PM

Cocktail Reception

Panel Session 1: Streaming Media SEP Licensing: From Device-Level Licensing to Usage-Based Licensing

This panel will explore the evolving landscape of SEP licensing in the streaming media context, highlighting the shift from traditional device-based royalty models to usage-based licensing approaches. As streaming consumption grows and codecs become more sophisticated, licensing based on monthly active users or monthly subscriptions is increasingly shaping the way royalties are calculated and collected. Panelists will discuss how this shift reflects a broader trend toward valuing actual content consumption over hardware, driven by the adoption of new video and audio codecs. The conversation will also explore how business models in streaming and social media platforms are transforming SEP monetization and the implications for both patent holders and service providers.

The discussion will feature leading SEP licensing executives from SEP-owning companies, patent pools, and streaming service providers, offering insights into the future of video and audio codec licensing, the challenges of implementing usage-based models, and the opportunities for a change in royalty distribution. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how the next generation of royalty frameworks is being shaped by consumption patterns, technology adoption, and evolving business models in the digital media landscape.

Panel Session 2: SEP Licensing in the AI Era: Infrastructure, Memory Standards and the Next Frontier of Royalty Models

As AI adoption accelerates, the underlying technologies powering AI infrastructure, including advanced DRAM memory standards, and AI‑native networks, are becoming critical. Memory standards governed by bodies such as JEDEC, often subject to thousands of SEPs, form the backbone of server farms, edge computing, and next-generation AI workloads. The panel will explore how the rapid scaling of AI technologies drives exponential compute demand and how this may create new SEP challenges in these high-stake markets. Participants will discuss the implications of AI infrastructure on SEP licensing and AI in modern network deployment, exemplified by partnerships like NVIDIA and Nokia, which are driving AI-enabled network innovation.

Attendees will gain insights into how the convergence of AI, semiconductors, and edge computing is shaping the future of patent licensing and royalty distribution, offering a unique perspective on the next generation of IP strategy.

Panel Session 3: Global SEP Disputes and FRAND Frameworks

The panel will explore the rapidly evolving landscape of SEP disputes worldwide, focusing on how different courts approach FRAND determination, global royalty setting, and preliminary injunctions. Panelists will examine recent cases across multiple jurisdictions, highlighting the variations in legal reasoning and enforcement approaches. Discussions will cover how courts balance the interests of SEP holders and implementers, and how regional interpretations influence the setting of global royalty rates. The conversation will also address the impact of geopolitical tensions, which can shape local court decisions and create challenges in enforcing globally consistent licensing agreements. By analyzing case studies and emerging trends, the panel will provide insights into how multinational companies navigate complex SEP litigation and licensing strategies. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the international SEP ecosystem, the interplay between law and technology, and the strategic considerations necessary for managing global SEP portfolios.

Panel Session 4: The Future of Cellular SEP Licensing

This panel will explore the evolving landscape of SEP licensing, beginning with the current state of 5G. We will assess the maturity of 5G SEP programs in smartphones and the growing impact of licensing in cellular IoT, including automotive, industrial IoT, and connected devices. Are licensing frameworks stabilizing, or are new disputes and rate-setting approaches emerging?

Looking ahead, the discussion will turn to 6G and its potential to reshape the SEP ecosystem. Will the pool of SEP owners expand as new technology domains, AI-native networks, sensing, edge computing, become embedded in the standard? How might use cases evolve beyond smartphones toward smart glasses, immersive devices, robotics, and pervasive machine connectivity?

The panel will examine whether licensing models, royalty bases, and enforcement strategies must adapt to support these shifts and whether 6G could mark a structural turning point in cellular SEP licensing.