Solve Intelligence secures $3 million in funding for AI-powered patent drafting

TL;DR:

  • Solve Intelligence, a Delaware-based legal tech startup, secures $3 million in funding from prominent investors.
  • Founded by AI PhDs with backgrounds in tech giants like Huawei and Dyson, Solve Intelligence focuses on AI-powered patent drafting.
  • Their in-browser document editor uses AI to identify novelty and non-obviousness, improving efficiency in intellectual property generation.
  • The startup already boasts 25+ IP firms as clients, reporting efficiency gains of 60-90%.
  • The patent analytics market is projected to grow from $1.3 billion in 2022 to $5.18 billion in 2032.
  • Some attorneys express concerns over AI tool confidentiality, but Solve Intelligence emphasizes robust security measures.
  • The company does not train on client data but employs proprietary models and algorithms for patent drafting.
  • Solve Intelligence aims to revolutionize the legal tech landscape by rapidly iterating its product to meet evolving user needs.

Main AI News:

In the realm of legal technology, where innovation is reshaping the way lawyers operate, Solve Intelligence emerges as a trailblazing force. This Delaware-based startup has garnered significant attention by raising a substantial $3 million in funding from esteemed investors such as Y Combinator, Amino Capital, General Advance, SAV, Translink Capital, and Nomad Capital. What sets Solve Intelligence apart is its unwavering focus on revolutionizing the intellectual property (IP) landscape.

Founded in June 2023 by Chief Research Officer Sanj Ahilan and CEO Chris Parsonson, both holding PhDs in artificial intelligence from University College London, along with Angus Parsonson, the Chief Technology Officer, this innovative venture has a mission: to streamline the patent drafting process for attorneys. The motivation behind their endeavor stemmed from the firsthand experiences of Ahilan and Chris Parsonson while navigating the intricate and time-consuming world of patent acquisition during their tenures at tech giants like Huawei and Dyson.

Solve Intelligence’s vision is crystallized in its in-browser document editor, a seamless counterpart to Google Docs, but with a transformative twist. At its core, this platform harnesses the power of AI to act as a copilot for attorneys venturing into the realm of intellectual property. Its AI solution is engineered to identify novelty and non-obviousness, ushering in a new era of efficiency in research and development (R&D) within the legal landscape.

Chris Parsonson elucidates, “Patents are fundamentally different from other areas of legal tech because they intersect both technology and patent law.” The art of drafting a patent necessitates not only a profound understanding of legal intricacies but also a deep dive into the technical aspects of innovation. Patent attorneys are unique in their journey, often acquiring technical expertise through rigorous academic pursuits spanning undergraduate, master’s, and even PhD programs. Unlike their legal counterparts, many patent attorneys rarely find themselves in courtrooms or reviewing contracts. Instead, they dedicate years honing their craft, ultimately passing the bar to become fully qualified patent attorneys. It is this distinctive journey that sets the stage for AI algorithms specifically tailored to patent drafting.

Solve’s AI-driven product excels in identifying the most promising novel and non-obvious elements within an innovation, ranking them by commercial viability, and seamlessly transmitting this invaluable data to the IP firm collaborating with the tech company. The result is a streamlined, efficient process that extends beyond patent drafting to encompass patent portfolio infringement litigation.

With over 25 IP firms across the United States, Europe, Asia, and South America already leveraging Solve Intelligence’s product, it’s clear that their innovative approach is bearing fruit. Reports of efficiency improvements ranging from 60% to 90% underscore the significant impact this legal tech startup is making in the industry. Even in its early stages, Solve Intelligence is generating substantial recurring revenue, ranging from approximately $100,000 to $1 million, by offering its product through a per-seat subscription model.

As the legal landscape evolves, so does the demand for sophisticated tools to navigate its complexities. The patent analytics market is projected to soar to $5.18 billion in 2032, a staggering leap from $1.3 billion in 2022. This growth signifies a burgeoning need for innovative solutions like those provided by Solve Intelligence.

However, not all attorneys are quick to embrace AI tools for IP, citing concerns over confidentiality, particularly for undisclosed inventions that are yet to be patented. Chris Parsonson is confident that this hesitation is temporary, as understanding of AI nuances deepens. He reassures potential users by emphasizing that Solve Intelligence prioritizes security, with data encryption during transmission and storage on enterprise AWS servers, ensuring state-of-the-art protection.

While the startup does not train on clients’ data, it relies on a range of proprietary models, algorithms, sequential large language model (LLM) calls, and retrieval augmented generation (RAG) approaches. These are specialized for patent drafting and broader IP analysis and generation. In a unique approach, Solve Intelligence is also working on securing patents for these methods, collaborating with its IP firm clients to utilize its AI product in the patent drafting process.

Solve Intelligence is not merely a disruptor; it is a harbinger of the future. Chris Parsonson believes that AI will soon become an integral part of every legal professional’s daily routine. Their strategy revolves around rapid iteration, catering to the evolving needs of legal professionals. The startup has assembled a nimble, highly technical team of AI PhDs and software development experts to outpace competitors in delivering the features that users crave.

In a landscape where some companies focus on prior art search and technology classification, while others streamline legal contract drafting, Solve Intelligence zeroes in on generative tasks related to patents. Drafting and responding to office actions are just the beginning; the potential applications of their product extend across the entire intellectual property lifecycle.

Armed with its recent funding infusion, Solve Intelligence is poised for expansion. The company plans to scale its operations, hire new talent, and embark on a journey of research and development for its next-generation patent drafting features. These innovations, set to be unveiled in the coming months, promise to encompass a wide spectrum, including algorithms for AI-driven technical drawings, patent quality enhancement, customizable AI drafting, and much more. In a world where technology reshapes the legal landscape, Solve Intelligence stands at the forefront, poised to revolutionize patent law and redefine the future of legal tech.

Conclusion:

Solve Intelligence’s success in securing funding and its substantial efficiency gains in patent drafting underscores the growing importance of AI in the legal tech market. As the patent analytics market continues to expand, Solve Intelligence’s innovative approach positions it well to meet the increasing demand for AI-driven solutions. While addressing concerns over confidentiality, the company’s commitment to security, coupled with its focus on patent drafting, puts it at the forefront of transforming the legal profession with AI technology.

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