IPCom

The company was founded in 2007 by German patent lawyers Bernhard Frohwitter and Christoph Schoeller in Munich, Germany. Shortly after, the name was changed to IPCom Beteiligungs GmbH and its headquarters moved to nearby Pullach. The present IPCom GmbH & Co. KG was founded in 2009 as Profi-Start Beteiligungs GmbH and changed its name to its current name in 2011. In July 2018 Pio Suh, a German attorney, was appointed as the new Managing Director of IPCom. At the same time, Frohwitter and Schoeller resigned as shareholders of the company. Under Suh's tenure IPCom settled long-lasting disputes with various smartphone manufacturers as well as with network providers.

IPCom acquires and monetizes intellectual property rights, especially patents in the mobile communication sector. 35 of which are considered standard essential patents (SEP). The company licences patents according to FRAND standards. In the time of its existence, IPCom has filed numerous law suits for patent infringements (see section on law suits). In 2014, the company established its own R&D department. Through ongoing R&D activity, IPCom has also developed its own global 5G patent portfolio, with numerous applications currently pending. In 2018, IPCom expanded its business activities with a new consulting service that assists companies in developing and monetizing patents.

Controversy

IPCom's litigation practice evoked widespread criticism. Before 2007, "patent trolls" were a mostly north American phenomenon. With their lawsuit against Nokia, demanding an unprecedented 12 billion euros, IPCom was seen the first European patent troll. In the subsequent lawsuits, the company was repeatedly called a patent troll. IPCom has always rejected these accusations. According to Germany-based legal magazine JUVE-Patent, IPCom founder Frohwitter made tactical mistakes during the first Nokia-trials, which made IPCom look too greedy and contributed to the company's bad reputation. JUVE-Patent editor Mathieu Klos believes that "IPCom has long since shed its dubious reputation as a patent troll".