IBM has joined the list of tech innovators committed to the Open COVID Pledge by agreeing to make all of its patents freely available to the public for use in the fight against COVID-19.
Alongside the likes of Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook and Hewlett Packard Enterprises, IBM is granting free access to its considerable patent portfolio to those developing technologies to help diagnose, prevent, contain or treat viruses, including the one that causes COVID-19.
IBM’s pledge will last for the life of more than 80,000 patents and patent applications and any new patent applications filed through to the end of 2023 will likewise be covered by this commitment.
The Open COVID Pledge, launched by an international coalition of legal experts, scientists, and technologists, is an effort that encourages companies, universities, and researchers to make their intellectual property available free of charge for use in ending the COVID-19 pandemic and minimising the impact of the disease. Those who make the pledge help ensure that uncertainty around intellectual property rights will not slow or impede urgently needed solutions in this critical time.
