Launch with confidence, not with patent risk.
A freedom to operate (FTO) analysis tells you whether you can make, use, sell or import a product without infringing patents that are in force in your markets. We find the patents that matter, map their claims against your product and set out practical options, before launch, investment or manufacturing commits you.
- In-force patents and pending applications in each target market
- Claim-by-claim mapping against your product, with a clear risk rating
- Practical options: design around, license or challenge
Request an FTO quote
Tell us about the product and where you plan to launch. An attorney replies within one business day with scope, timeline and fees.
Can you make and sell it without infringing someone else's patent?
Freedom to operate is the question every product team has to answer before launch. An FTO analysis searches for patents and pending applications that are in force in the countries where you will make, use, sell or import, then compares their claims against your product feature by feature.
It is not the same as a patentability search. Owning a patent on your invention does not give you the right to sell it if an earlier patent covers part of it. FTO looks only at live, enforceable rights, country by country, because that is where infringement risk lies.
At a glance
- Answers
- Can we launch without infringing?
- Looks at
- In-force patents and pending applications
- Territory
- Each country where you make, sell or import
- Compared to
- Your product, claim by claim
- Best time
- Before launch, investment or manufacturing
- You receive
- FTO report with risk rating and options
The moments when patent risk costs the most.
An infringement claim after launch can stop sales, force a redesign or lead to damages. FTO is cheapest at these points, before money is committed.
Product launch
Clear the product before it reaches the market, not after a demand letter.
Entering a new market
Patents are territorial. A product cleared in one country may not be clear in another.
Investment and M&A
Evidence of clearance for investors, acquirers and due diligence teams.
Manufacturing and sourcing
Check new factories, suppliers and import routes before contracts are signed.
Licensing and partnerships
Know which third-party patents you may need to license, and from whom.
New versions and redesigns
Re-check when features change, so an update does not create new risk.
From product features to a clear risk picture.
We search the way an opposing patent owner would look at your product: feature by feature, claim by claim, market by market.
- 01
Product breakdown
Features that matter for infringement agreed with you.
- 02
Search strategy
Markets, classes, assignees and date range defined.
- 03
Search
Patents and pending applications in each target market.
- 04
Claim mapping
Relevant claims mapped element by element to your product.
- 05
Status and risk
Legal status, expiry and risk rating checked per country.
- 06
Options and report
Design-around, licensing or challenge options set out.
FTO is most valuable while the design can still change. Run it at the prototype stage, then update it before launch, so any risk is handled by a small design change rather than a halted product.
Request an FTO quotePatents are territorial, so is our analysis.
A patent only matters where it is in force. We search and verify legal status in each country where you plan to make, use, sell or import, directly or with local counsel.
What you receive, and what you can do with it.
Written for your legal team and your product team, so findings turn into decisions.
What the report includes
Evidence you can act on.
- Product features analysed and search scope
- Markets, databases and strategy used
- Patents and applications of concern, ranked by risk
- Claim charts mapping each element to your product
- Legal status, owner and expiry in each country
- Pending applications to watch, with likely scope
- Overall risk rating per market
- Recommended next steps
What you can do next
A route for every risk we find.
- Proceed with documented clearance
- Design around the claims that pose risk
- License or acquire the blocking patent
- Challenge validity through invalidity search or opposition
- Monitor pending applications as they grant
- Time launch around patent expiry
- Adjust launch markets and supply routes
- Strengthen your position in negotiations
Technical depth in the fields shaping what comes next.
Our attorneys and technical specialists work in the technologies where filing activity is growing fastest, so your product is analysed by people who understand the technology.
Artificial intelligence & ML
Models, training methods and AI applicationsSemiconductors
Chip design, fabrication and packagingTelecom, 5G & IoT
Wireless standards, networks and connected devicesElectric vehicles & mobility
Batteries, charging and drive systemsClean energy & climate tech
Solar, storage, hydrogen and carbon captureRobotics & automation
Industrial robots, control and machine visionMedical devices & digital health
Devices, diagnostics and health softwareBiotechnology & genomics
Biologics, gene editing and sequencingPharmaceuticals
Formulations, processes and new usesFintech & digital payments
Payments, security and financial platformsConsumer electronics & wearables
Devices, sensors and user interfacesAdvanced materials & chemistry
Materials, polymers and chemical processesClearance opinions you can stand behind.
Engineers, scientists and patent attorneys work on every FTO together, so the technical reading and the legal reading agree.
Attorney-led claim analysis
Claims construed the way a court or opponent would read them.
Technical depth
Specialists who understand your product down to the component.
Global reach
Legal status checked in every target market, with local counsel where needed.
Clear for every audience
Findings your legal, product and leadership teams can all use.
Practical recommendations
Design-around and licensing options, not just a list of risks.
Confidentiality
Product details protected under strict non-disclosure protocols.
Questions about freedom to operate.
Short answers to what product and legal teams ask us most.
Planning a launch?
Clear it first. Tell us about the product and markets, and we will reply with a quote within one business day.
Request an FTO quote01What is a freedom to operate analysis?
An assessment of whether a product or process can be made, used, sold or imported in a given country without infringing patents in force there. It combines a search with claim-by-claim analysis and a risk opinion.
02How is FTO different from a patentability search?
A patentability search asks whether you can get a patent. FTO asks whether you can sell your product without infringing someone else's. The two answer different questions and look at different documents.
03If I have a patent, do I still need FTO?
Yes. Your patent stops others from using your invention, but it does not give you the right to use it. An earlier patent may still cover part of your product.
04Which countries should the analysis cover?
Every country where you will make, use, sell or import the product, and often where key competitors manufacture. We help you set the scope to match your launch plan and budget.
05Do you consider pending applications?
Yes. Published applications can grant with claims that cover your product, so we flag those to watch and estimate the scope they could reach.
06How long does it take and what does it cost?
Both depend on the complexity of the product and the number of countries. We confirm a fixed fee and timeline in our proposal before any work starts.
07What if a blocking patent is found?
The report sets out options: design around the claims, license the patent, challenge its validity, or time the launch around its expiry. Most risks can be managed if they are found early.
Find the blocking patents before they find you.
Tell us about your product and markets. An attorney will reply within one business day.