Bringing Clarity to Patent Valuation with AI – Meet the IP Professional: Eric McGill

When Eric McGill talks about patents, you hear both the scientist’s precision and the strategist’s passion. A seasoned technology transfer expert who has worked with NASA, the FDA, and the U.S. Army, McGill has spent two decades helping inventors and institutions unlock the real-world potential of innovation. His latest venture—Patentelligence—is a bold response to one of IP’s most persistent questions: What is this patent worth, and what should I do with it?

From Lab Bench to Licensing Desk: A Personal Journey into IP

McGill’s path to technology transfer was far from typical. As a grad student working full time and newly married, he invented a product to solve a household issue—sparking his first interaction with the patent system. With help from a university contact, he filed for two patents and ultimately left school to commercialize the invention.

That experience launched a career rooted in both science and business. “It was never just about invention,” he says. “I became obsessed with the question: why do some ideas succeed while others fail?” That question continues to drive his work today.

Patentelligence: A Tool to Answer ‘Now What?’

Inventors and IP managers alike often struggle with what to do after securing a patent. That’s where Patentelligence comes in—an AI-powered patent valuation and decision-support platform that delivers fast, blind, and structured insight into a patent’s market value, commercial potential, and licensing viability.

The platform offers four report types—ranging from quick snapshots to comprehensive 360° briefings—each designed to be affordable, scalable, and tailored to different types of users, including inventors, startup founders, TTOs, and corporate IP teams.

“Our goal,” says McGill, “is to provide clarity at the exact moment people need to decide whether to pursue, pivot, or let go.”

Built with AI, Backed by Expertise

Unlike traditional patent valuation services that rely on time-consuming consulting or raw databases, Patentelligence leverages a blend of agentic AI, automation, and human oversight. It simulates machine learning processes to analyze public data and score a patent’s commercialization likelihood, market valuation band, and licensing income range.

“The system delivers client-ready insights in hours, not weeks,” McGill notes. “It’s not just faster—it’s consistent, repeatable, and grounded in real commercialization logic.”

Disruptive Pricing for an Underserved Market

One of the most transformative aspects of Patentelligence is its pricing. Where traditional reports might cost $5,000–$15,000, Patentelligence’s offerings start at just $97. Reports are usually delivered within one to two days.

“It’s not just about lowering costs,” McGill explains. “It’s about right-sizing insight. Most inventors don’t need a 30-page theory. They need to know: is this worth keeping? Can I license it? What’s a fair range?”

Solving a $6.4 Billion Blind Spot

One major target for Patentelligence is the widespread inefficiency in maintenance fee decision-making. Billions are spent each year to maintain patents—many of which will never generate returns.

McGill saw this problem firsthand early in his career. “At one lab, I was asked to make keep-or-drop decisions on patents—but there was no data to guide me,” he recalls. “It was just judgment.”

That experience inspired Patentelligence’s Maintenance Fee Intelligence Report, which gives data-backed go/no-go recommendations. It’s already proving valuable: university IP offices are beginning to adopt the tool to improve decision-making and reduce wasted spend.

Connecting Tools and Teaching

Patentelligence is one half of McGill’s larger mission. Through his educational platform, The Inventor’s Mentor, he helps inventors navigate the commercialization process and make better licensing decisions.

“Patentelligence is the toolkit,” he says. “The Inventor’s Mentor is the mindset training. Together, they offer inventors both the why and the how.”

Scaling Strategy, Not Just Technology

With a full launch coming soon under Patentelligence.AI, McGill hopes the platform will make IP intelligence more equitable and evidence-based.

“Too many great patents sit idle simply because decision-makers don’t know the next step,” he says. “We’re making that step clearer—and faster—for everyone.”

For McGill, it all comes back to a belief that’s guided him from the start: that smart, well-supported inventors can change the world. And with the right tools, they just might.

Fun Fact: Master of Molecules and Masala

When he’s not evaluating patents or building AI tools, Eric swaps algorithms for aromatics in the kitchen. He’s especially passionate about recreating Indian and Caribbean dishes—so much so that friends have joked he could give local restaurants a run for their money. Cooking, like innovation, feeds his deep curiosity and love of experimentation.

Connect with Eric

To learn more about Patentelligence or connect directly with Eric McGill, reach out via LinkedIn, or visit https://maintenance.enzumosstrategy.com/. His full suite of products will be launching August 2025. To speak to Eric about his work with early-stage inventors and those seeking patent licensing support go to https://www.theinventorsmentor.com/

Whether you’re a solo inventor, a university TTO, or a corporate IP leader, Eric is always open to conversations about smarter, faster paths to innovation.

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Explore how PatWorld can support your innovation journey: https://patworld.com/gb/order-a-search/