I know this has come up a few times on Future, but I wanted to share a release and some news related to the recent I.P. actions in the industry. ExtractionTek has been in a fairly lengthy and expensive process related to I.P. law on behalf of one of our clients and a Patent Troll group located in Boulder, Colorado. This group is Genepool Technologies.
We are aware of multiple letters that have gone out to the industry hoping to generate “settlements” by both large companies as well an independent operators. The need for this industry to organize against these companies will only increase as our market continues to mature. What is so frustrating is that groups like this are being funded by V.C.'s that have built their business on the same industry they are now trying to sue on nonsensical IP claims.
To date Genepool has licensed multiple patents from members of this community in hopes of monetizing the hard work your families and teams put in every day. I know there will be people who try and defend these actions as protecting Intellectual property, this is disingenuous. Currently the Genepool Portfolio includes patents that were licensed to them by groups and individuals we all recognize, this information is publicly available online. Be aware, and give strong consideration before any lawyer or partner suggests the settlement option. If groups like this scare honest companies into settling, these actions will only accelerate once groups like Genepool Technologies have a war chest they do not need to borrow to add more fuel to the fire.
This is pretty gangster!
Even tho I don’t use your machinery, I tip my hat to you!
I don’t believe anyone else has commented, this is something that doesn’t effect me but effects the whole shitshow that is the industry, and is someone trying to stop the bad guys!
Didn’t the guy from Tamisum try the same thing with passive recovery? Full disclosure I own a 3000 Tamisum unit and it works fine but hoses nitro and a lot of cold to make it produce.
Good work yall! The tactic practiced by Genepool is not rare, but is the lowest of lows in therms of a biz model.
Im assuming they accumulate a portfolio of 'IP" and then go around to processors and say “hey, weve got the portfolio of IP, you are infringing, we will take you to court…but you can license our portfolio for a low price of $500/month” - many would rather do this than go defend in court. This is just one of a handful of nasty and abusive biz models practiced in this biz genre of IP trolling.
250K$ thrown at this pursuit is no chump change.
I think there is a ton of cannabis processing methods and equipment patents that are not actually viable, when/if they are ever disputed.
I have sued and been sued. No matter how you want to spin it, owning Intellectual Property and protecting it, is important, and it is in fact that. Property.
Just like real estate, someone can buy a property, they can decide to raise your rent, or kick you out all together. That is their right as a property owner and literally protected by the constitution of America.
No matter how shady and shitty. If gene pool legitimately bought or leased IP, then they are fully within their rights… Cry me a river. Change the design by 30% you are ETS…
With the number of pathways and design characteristics out there, I don’t see this holding much water, but at the same time, if there’s a nickel to make, people will be there to pick it up…
Make sure you keep detailed information on your progression and techniques.
We are all applying general scientific tom-foolery.
But I don’t know legitimately nor do I know it’s provable that we took someone’s specific “steps”.
That would be a hill to climb to prove that someone implemented specifically “your” technique.
And if you did, you’d have to make the patent incredibly vague, and hard to defend.
I’m surprised the guild patent isn’t common knowledge. Brad essentially patented centrifuging extracts to produce enriched THCa or I think also CBDa is covered. It’s crazy that the tech he worked on in like 2016 is still on cutting edge today and shows how badass it is.
wondering if they could sue the several companies on the market distributing centrifuges to the cannabis industry marketing them to help purify THCa??? that would be interesting…
Damon/IEC marketed their Basket Centrifuge Head 11” diameter for floor mol centrifuges 50 years ago…
Part number 1357.
It does not take much imagination to think solvent extraction
Of biomass in their explosion proof mdl centrifuges was an application…continuous feed heads have been around by Sorvall for at least as long. so is it the patent idea: let us put marijuana into the basket…what is novel and patentable?
