Leveling the IP Playing Field: Spotlight on Charles Clark, Founder of IP Arkitek

Leveling the IP Playing Field: Spotlight on Charles Clark, Founder of IP Arkitek

Intellectual property (IP) is often seen as a game of giants, dominated by multinational corporations with deep pockets and extensive legal resources. But Charles Clark, an internationally recognized expert in IP strategy and the founder of IP Arkitek, is on a mission to change that. With over 20 years of in-house experience spanning industries from precision engineering to energy, Charles has dedicated his career to helping innovative businesses harness the power of IP to drive growth, secure funding, and compete on a global scale.

We sat down with Charles to discuss his career journey, his thoughts on the evolving IP landscape, and how businesses—especially start-ups and SMEs—can develop winning IP strategies.

From Lasers to IP Strategy: A Career Built on Innovation

Charles’ career began in the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MOD), where he worked as a research scientist developing cutting-edge laser and optics technology for military applications. However, despite the thrill of working on advanced projects (many of which are only now emerging in the field, 25 years later), he felt constrained by the slow pace of innovation and sought a new challenge.

That challenge came in the form of intellectual property. Introduced to patent attorneys during his time at the MOD, and guided by a family friend in the profession, Charles pivoted into IP. His early career took him from private practice to in-house roles at global companies such as Black & Decker and Edwards Vacuum, where he gained first-hand experience in managing IP portfolios that fuelled business growth.

“In-house work gave me the opportunity to get involved in all aspects of IP strategy—beyond just patents and trademarks,” Charles explains. “It was about aligning IP with commercial goals, supporting acquisitions, securing funding, and building long-term business value.”

The Birth of IP Arkitek: A New Approach to IP Strategy

The idea for IP Arkitek was born out of necessity. While leading IP strategy at Centrica, Charles found himself at a crossroads when a corporate restructuring shifted the company’s focus away from new energy ventures. Rather than take on a role that didn’t align with his passions, he decided to carve his own path.

“I took the plunge, set up IP Arkitek, and started consulting—initially with contacts from Centrica who had moved into venture capital,” Charles recalls. “Since then, the business has evolved to help high-growth tech companies navigate the complexities of IP in a way that drives real commercial success.”

Unlike traditional patent attorneys, IP Arkitek doesn’t focus on drafting and prosecuting patents. Instead, Charles positions himself as a strategic advisor, acting as a fractional in-house IP lead for companies that need expert guidance but aren’t yet ready to build a full-scale IP team.

“It is worth pointing out that I don’t compete with patent attorney firms, and I don’t do any prep and pros work—they are much better at that than I am,” Charles explains. “Instead, I work closely with them, often taking on the role of a fractional in-house IP lead. This benefits both the client and the attorneys, as I can smooth the flow of information between them, freeing up attorney time to focus on their other clients while ensuring the business gets the best possible outcomes with high efficiency.”

“My role is to help businesses understand what they should be doing with their IP—not just what they could do,” he adds. “It’s about making smart decisions that align with long-term business goals.”

Levelling the Playing Field: Helping SMEs Navigate IP Challenges

One of Charles’ key missions is to level the IP playing field for smaller businesses, enabling them to compete with large corporations that traditionally dominate the space.

“Know what you’ve got and stick to your guns,” he advises. “Really understand the value of your innovation and how it fits into the bigger picture. If you don’t, bigger players will take advantage.”

One of the most striking examples of this came when Charles helped an SME navigate a complex IP issue with a UK regulatory body. The company was poised to participate in a government-funded project but faced a major roadblock: the existing contractual framework meant that any IP generated during the project would belong to the large corporate partners—not the SME.

“If they had gone ahead under those terms, they would have lost the ability to raise future funding,” Charles explains. “We had to educate regulators and corporate partners about why SMEs need to retain ownership of their innovations. It took time, but in the end, we reached an agreement that protected the SME’s IP while still delivering value to the project.”

The Future of IP: Moving Beyond Patents and Trademarks

As technology advances, Charles believes that businesses need to rethink how they approach IP.

“Too many business leaders see IP as just patents and trademarks, but that’s a limited view,” he says. “We need to distinguish between IP—which includes everything from innovative business models to customer relationships—and IPR (intellectual property rights), which are the legal tools used to protect that value.”

One area where this distinction is becoming critical is artificial intelligence. As AI-driven innovations continue to reshape industries, businesses need to understand how to protect and leverage their proprietary algorithms, data, and methodologies.

“This will be debated long after I retire,” Charles notes. “But companies that take a strategic view—understanding the difference between their valuable IP and the IPR mechanisms available—will be in the best position to succeed.”

Advice for Innovators: Building a Strong IP Strategy

For start-ups and high-growth businesses, Charles offers three key pieces of advice:

1 Start with the business case.
“Focus on what makes your business unique—your USP—and then identify the IP that underpins it. From there, you can determine the best IP protection strategy.”

2 Foster an IP-aware culture.
“Make sure your team understands the value of their ideas. An engaged team that sees the importance of IP will be more proactive in protecting and developing it.”

3 Plan for the long term.
“Budgeting for IP is critical. Many start-ups see patents as ‘too expensive’—but they’re only expensive if you don’t plan for them. A well-structured IP budget over three to five years can prevent costly surprises down the line.”

An IP Strategist with a Mission

Reflecting on his career, Charles is most proud of the path he has forged and the impact he has had on businesses navigating the complex world of IP.

“I see myself as an ‘attorney in recovery,'” he jokes. “My background in the profession gave me a solid foundation, but stepping away from traditional practice has allowed me to make a bigger impact.”

With IP Arkitek, Charles continues to challenge outdated approaches to IP strategy, ensuring that innovative businesses—no matter their size—have the tools, knowledge, and confidence to protect their ideas and thrive in competitive markets.

For more information about IP Arkitek visit their website: https://www.ip-arkitek.com/

Connect with Charles Clark on LinkedIn: Charles Clark | LinkedIn

At PatWorld, we understand the challenges businesses like IP Arkitek face when helping clients protect and manage their intellectual property. Our global IP intelligence platform empowers professionals with fast, comprehensive, and user-friendly search tools, enabling them to make informed strategic decisions. Whether it’s uncovering key insights into competitor portfolios, monitoring industry trends, or identifying potential risks, PatWorld provides the data-driven support that IP strategists and businesses need to stay ahead. Check out the PatWorld Patent Database today.

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