EMERGING, AWARD RECIPIENT
Geoffrey Barker had some solid experience as an entrepreneur when he noticed something in common with his previous two technology-related start-ups: Both companies had been tagged by patent trolls (those who purchase a patent just to sue another company claiming that a product infringes on the purchased patent). The legal issues escalated and, ultimately, led to defense costs of more than eight figures.
So Barker and his partners in 2008 founded RPX Corp., the first defensive patent litigation company in the intellectual property market. It has become a leading supplier of patent risk solutions, offering defensive buying, acquisition syndication, patent intelligence and advisory services to technology companies worldwide. Being the first business of this kind resulted in unique challenges, including learning how to build the right team for a new venture that is trying to accomplish something quite innovative in the market and identifying the right blend of employees and resources.
Under Barker’s leadership as co-founder and COO, he focused not only on obtaining individuals with top skills and an impressive education, but those with great aptitude and attitude. Barker promotes the firm’s innovative, honest and entrepreneurial culture to attract and retain talented individuals.
Barker also thinks that employing people should include significant investments in training and professional development for them. As such, RPX is investing to create a best-in-class analyst training program to recruit and develop the next generation of business leaders. Barker believes that developing the skill sets of employees will not only bring value to RPX, it will create more dynamic professionals who will contribute to the company and society for years to come.
HOW TO REACH: RPX Corp., www.rpxcorp.com
