Turning Economic Uncertainty into Competitive Advantage

How IP Strategy Helps Companies Thrive in Crisis

Economic uncertainty. Trade volatility. Regulatory shifts. In 2025, the pace of disruption is accelerating—and innovation-heavy companies are being forced to respond in real time. In this environment, the immediate reaction to cut costs—especially in innovation-heavy areas—is strong and understandable. However, history and data suggest a different path: companies that treat innovation and strategic IP management as core to their resilience don’t just survive downturns—they lead coming out of them.

During the 2008 financial crisis, businesses that continued to invest in R&D such as Uber, AirBnB, and WhatsApp outperformed their peers in the recovery years. In the COVID-19 era, innovation in digital health, supply chains, and remote work surged—much of it first visible through patent filings.

The challenge isn’t whether to keep innovating. It’s how to do it intelligently, efficiently, and with strategic clarity—even under economic uncertainty. Explore how patent professionals navigated previous downturns based on the following four opportunities enabled by patent analytics:

• Identify ways to monetize intellectual property.
• Spot opportunities before they become trends.
• Focus on patent quality over volume.
• Track competitors and industry shifts in real-time.

Four patent strategies for times of economic uncertainty

When budgets are tight and uncertainty is high, patent analytics gives business leaders and IP executives the evidence they need to act decisively. Here are four proven strategies that support innovation without waste—and how LexisNexis^® PatentSight+™ makes them actionable.

1. Spot emerging opportunities before they become trends

Crises often accelerate shifts in market needs. Patent analytics can uncover “white spaces”—areas with little IP activity but high growth potential.

Figure: A mapping of global active patents in a portfolio from LexisNexis PatentSight+, helpful to identify regional patent filing strategies of innovators.

Perl IP Consulting uses PatentSight’s landscape analysis to help clients find these opportunities. Their insights guide R&D toward high-value, low-competition areas—boosting innovation confidence.

In the COVID-19 context, this approach helped uncover breakthrough areas such as cytokine storm treatments, where firms like Gilead Sciences, Ono Pharmaceutical, and Regeneron were quickly identified as leading innovators based on early, high-impact filings.

2. Prioritize patent quality, not just volume

Large portfolios are expensive to maintain. In lean times, quality matters more than quantity. LexisNexis Patent Asset Index evaluates each patent’s relevance and impact to help teams focus on the IP that truly matters.

Siemens used PatentSight+ to measure and improve patent quality, align its portfolio with business objectives, and optimize where to invest or divest. This mirrors how Adidas AG leveraged analytics to identify which patent families could be monetized or abandoned, unlocking millions in potential cost savings while maintaining core innovation efforts.

3. Track competitors and industry shifts

Innovation doesn’t stop during a downturn—it just shifts. Patent analytics gives companies a real-time lens into where competitors are investing or retreating.

Han Santos, a Seattle-based boutique specialty law firm, uses PatentSight+ to deliver strategic IP and competitor insights to clients, helping them anticipate market shifts and shape proactive strategies. The Managing Partner of Han Santos, Patrick Santos, says, “Due diligence is expensive. Essentially you need a small army of lawyers, all of them billing away. But with PatentSight+, we can come up with a first approximation really quickly to help guide go/no-go decisions. It’s not the final say, but at least the client can get initial advice based on data.”

Read the full case study to learn how Han Santos supports their clients with patent analytics to navigate economic uncertainties.

4. Monetize your intellectual property

When revenue is under pressure, underused IP can become a valuable asset. Patent analytics helps identify:

• Licensing opportunities
• Potential infringement cases
• Patents with value for sale, partnership, or cross-industry collaboration

PatentSight+ enables you to treat your portfolio not just as protection but as a driver of ROI. A globally distributed patent portfolio also creates operational flexibility. In times of trade restrictions or political instability, companies can pivot manufacturing or commercial strategy into jurisdictions where they hold patent rights, enabling resilience in restricted or disrupted markets.

See what leading innovators are doing

These aren’t just best practices—they’re what top innovators are doing now. In a recent webinar with IBM, Meta and Infineon, industry leaders explained their approach to portfolio management and maintenance that propelled them to the forefront of innovation. Read more about how the world’s leading tech companies are using patent analytics to stay ahead.

From economic uncertainty to strategy: A positive path forward

Turbulent markets create risk but also opportunity. Companies that approach IP strategy with discipline, data, and vision won’t just weather the downturn; they’ll use it to build long-term advantage.

With LexisNexis, you gain the clarity and confidence to act decisively. Instead of slowing innovation, you can steer it—with insight.

Ready to see how your IP strategy stacks up—or where you could be doing more?

Unlock the true value of your portfolio with PatentSight+

Speak with us to uncover opportunities, reduce risk, and shape a smarter innovation strategy for what’s next:

• Let’s have a conversation about your current priorities in IP analytics.
• Get an external view of your portfolio.
• Learn how others see you and survey other market players from a new perspective.

Submit the form, and we’ll be in touch.