Dorsey partner Gary Abelev, together with Professor Steven R. Kursh, Ph.D., will lead a workshop on "Open Source Software Finance and Valuation Issues." Starting from the perspective that the pervasive and growing use of open source software creates unique challenges and opportunities in the finance and valuation of intellectual property resident in software, the workshop will provide insight into many issues relating to open source software, including:
- Analysis of the pedigree of software to ensure intellectual property rights
- Valuation of “Mixed IP” (software technologies that combine open source and proprietary code)
- Variations in open source licensing arrangements
- Metrics for valuation of open source software
- Possible pitfalls in mergers and acquisitions transactions that involve open source software
- Assessment of the challenges to the open source movement
Workshop participants are encouraged to initiate discussions concerning the use of open source in their business transactions. Technical knowledge of software programming is not necessary.