YaTTI
A patent is a temporary monopoly granted by governments to inventors. In exchange for publicly disclosing how their invention works, inventors get exclusive rights to make, use, and sell it for about 20 years. After that, anyone can use the invention freely.
The original idea was elegant: inventors get rewarded for innovation, society gets new knowledge, and eventually everyone benefits when patents expire. It worked well when individual inventors like Thomas Edison were patenting light bulbs.
Today? Not so much.
A single smartphone involves over 250,000 patent claims. Try building anything in tech without stepping on someone’s patent landmine. Large companies amass thousands of patents not to protect innovations but to block competitors and extract licensing fees.
When every small improvement risks patent infringement, innovation slows to a crawl. Startups spend more on lawyers than research. Researchers avoid promising areas because the patent landscape is too dangerous.
Patents filed in rich countries lock out developing nations from essential technologies. Life-saving medicines, agricultural innovations, and clean energy solutions remain inaccessible to those who need them most.
Companies extend monopolies indefinitely by patenting minor tweaks. A drug developed in the 1990s remains under patent in the 2020s through clever legal maneuvering, keeping prices high and generics out.
Open patents flip the script. Instead of using patents to exclude, they use them to ensure freedom. It’s like intellectual property aikido—using the patent system’s own rules to guarantee openness.
1. Patentleft (Share-Alike) Like copyleft in software: “You can use my patented invention freely, but any improvements you patent must be equally free for everyone.” This creates an expanding commons of innovation.
2. Defensive Patents Patents obtained not to sue others but to prevent others from patenting the same thing. It’s like buying land to keep it as a public park.
3. Patent Pools Companies contribute patents to a shared pool, agreeing not to sue each other. Everyone in the pool can innovate freely using any pooled patent.
4. Humanitarian Licensing Patents licensed freely for humanitarian uses—medicines for developing countries, technologies for disaster relief, innovations for education.
Tesla’s Electric Vehicle Patents In 2014, Tesla announced they wouldn’t sue anyone using their EV patents “in good faith.” While not purely open (conditions apply), it accelerated electric vehicle development worldwide.
Medicines Patent Pool Negotiates with pharmaceutical companies to license HIV, tuberculosis, and hepatitis C drug patents for generic production in developing countries. Result: Millions access life-saving medicines at affordable prices.
Open COVID Pledge During the pandemic, companies temporarily opened patents for COVID-related technologies. While limited, it showed how patent sharing can accelerate crisis response.
BIOS Agricultural Innovation The Biological Innovation for Open Society created crucial plant genetic engineering tools, then required anyone using them to share improvements. This built a global network advancing crop development.
When inventors build on each other’s work without legal barriers, progress speeds up dramatically. Solutions improve faster, costs drop quicker, and breakthroughs happen sooner.
Developing nations can use advanced technologies without prohibitive licensing fees. Indonesian innovators can compete globally without patent barriers.
Companies compete on implementation and service, not legal monopolies. The best product wins, not the biggest patent portfolio.
During emergencies—pandemics, natural disasters, climate change—open patents enable rapid, coordinated responses without legal delays.
True, but consider: - Much basic research is already publicly funded - First-mover advantages remain strong - Service, support, and expertise create value - Reputation and brand matter - Government incentives can support open innovation
Reciprocal licenses prevent this—use requires sharing back. Companies that only take without contributing get excluded from the commons.
Patent law is complex, but open patent models use the same legal framework as traditional patents. The innovation is in the licensing terms, not the patents themselves.
Biodiversity Innovation Indonesia’s incredible biodiversity could yield countless innovations. Open patents ensure these benefit Indonesians, not just foreign corporations.
Agricultural Advancement Developing climate-resistant crops, sustainable farming techniques, and food security solutions that farmers can freely use.
Medical Breakthroughs Traditional medicine knowledge combined with modern science, shared openly to improve global health while respecting indigenous rights.
Clean Technology Renewable energy innovations suited to tropical conditions, freely available to combat climate change.
Digital Innovation Software and hardware patents that enable Indonesian tech companies to compete globally without patent barriers.
For Inventors: - Consider patentleft licensing for your innovations - Join defensive patent networks in your field - Contribute to humanitarian patent pools - Document innovations to prevent others’ patents
For Companies: - Adopt open patent policies for non-core technologies - Join patent pools and cross-licensing agreements - Support employees contributing to open innovation - Build business models around implementation, not exclusion
For Government: - Require open licensing for publicly funded research - Create incentives for open patent contributions - Support defensive patent funds - Reform patent examination to prevent frivolous patents
For Universities: - Prioritize social impact over licensing revenue - Teach open innovation principles - Support student open patent projects - Share research tools and platforms freely
“Open patents mean no innovation” Linux, Wikipedia, and the internet itself prove open systems can out-innovate closed ones.
“Only works for software” Agriculture, medicine, and hardware show open patents work across fields.
“Companies won’t participate” IBM, Tesla, and others already contribute to open patent initiatives.
“It’s legally risky” Properly structured open patent licenses are as enforceable as traditional ones.
We believe innovation should serve humanity, not hoard knowledge for profit. Every patent locked away is a problem unsolved, an improvement unmade, a life potentially unsaved.
Our commitment: - Any patents we obtain will be openly licensed - We support reform toward balanced patent systems - We educate about open patent options - We connect Indonesian innovators with global open patent networks - We advocate for public benefit over private monopoly
Imagine an Indonesia where: - Farmers freely use the latest agricultural innovations - Hospitals access cutting-edge medical technologies - Students build on global innovations without legal fear - Companies compete on merit, not patent arsenals - Innovation serves society, not shareholders alone
This isn’t utopian—it’s achievable through open patents. Every patent shared openly is a step toward this future. Every innovator choosing openness over exclusion brings us closer.
The choice is yours: Use patents to block progress or to guarantee freedom. Lock up innovations or set them free. Build walls or build bridges.
At YaTTI, we’ve made our choice. We choose openness. We choose collaboration. We choose a future where innovation knows no borders, serves no monopolies, and benefits all humanity.
Join us. Because the best innovations are those everyone can build upon.
“Inovasi terbuka, kemajuan bersama” (Open innovation, shared progress)
YaTTI
