AI is transforming the world, and William is working on how IP is impacted in an AI world…
William Carbone is an AI expert, former IBMer, and now a seasoned entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in aerospace, quantum computing, and AI.
At IBM, William’s main focus was to identify opportunities, driving business & technology strategies and roadmap for the industries worldwide. He led the Business Development for IBM’s Global Automotive, Aerospace & Defense industries.
Currently, William is the CEO and co-founder of Evalify, a flagship venture under Nobody Studios, and the CEO and co-founder of The Adjacent Possible. He also serves as the Program Director for the Master in AI at the Rome Business School (RBS) and advises the European Commission as a senior consultant. From creating an innovation studio to developing cutting-edge tools for intellectual property assessment, His work spans Quantum, Spacetech, AI, and various domains.
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In this episode hosted by Barry O’Reilly, William discusses his journey, including his transition from corporate life and the transformative experiences that shaped his entrepreneurial path. He delves into the practical aspects of innovation and intellectual property, offering advice on navigating these complex areas. This episode is packed with insights for anyone looking to improve their approach to entrepreneurship and understand the value of mental health in the process.
Key Takeaways from the episode include:
- Entrepreneurial Journey: The transition from corporate life to entrepreneurship involves significant rewiring of the brain and requires navigating uncharted territories with curiosity and resilience.
- Parallels with Music: William’s self-taught journey as a pianist highlights the importance of playfulness and self-expression, which he parallels with the creative process in entrepreneurship.
- Innovation and IP Assessment: William discusses the development of a tool that evaluates the patentability and intellectual property risks of startup ideas, providing investors with quick and affordable insights.
- Unlearning Traditional Methods: The necessity of unlearning conventional approaches to intellectual property and embracing new technologies and methodologies to stay competitive.
- Mental Health for Founders: The critical importance of mental health for entrepreneurs, with William sharing his experience of attending a silent meditation retreat to find clarity and balance.
- Future of Intellectual Property: The potential of AI and advanced tools to democratize access to intellectual property insights, helping entrepreneurs and investors make better-informed decisions.
Additional Insights:
Episode Highlights:
(00:00) Introduction to the episode
(01:25) Importance of rewiring the brain and transformative journey of entrepreneurship
[01:43] “There is no one making things for you… You have to take the tools on the way and find the way.”
(02:23) William shares parallels between learning music and his entrepreneurial journey
[3:53] “Music has always been there for me in the journey, even in difficult times or more challenging situations.”
(05:14) Barry discusses the importance of following curiosity in entrepreneurship
[7:39] “There was a lot of untapped potential in that space, like in billions of dollars that have been spent on patents that have been just never commercialized…”
(08:35) Introduction of E-Verify and its capabilities in de-risking investments
(11:43) The evolution of AI and its impact on intellectual property assessment
[13:22] “But the biggest unlearning there was how to make the industry, to unlearn how they approach LLP. That was the biggest challenge, right.”
(13:23) The challenges and benefits of helping the VC industry unlearn traditional approaches to IP
[14:27] “I would say the biggest challenge for us and for the investors is to understand that the IP can be a valued friend and partner…”
(15:17) Barry shares his experiences with continuous delivery and automation in software development
[17:34] It’s not that we’re taking the humans out of the process, it’s we’re allowing them to focus on high-value tasks…”
(19:10) The concept of patent viability assessment and its impact on investment decisions
[21:13] “So these are all great indicators that are simply not available, or maybe no one has the intuition to look for them and find competitors for a startup.”
[22:03] “Some investors will tell you.. revenue speaks louder than IP. Others say, okay, IP is so fundamental.”
(24:13) William’s vision for the future of IP and entrepreneurship
[25:29] “There is already a populated market in the direction that you haven’t seen before with your business analyst.”
(26:27) The democratization of patent information and its impact on founders and investors
(30:39) William’s entrepreneurial journey and the importance of mental health retreats
[30:48] “Actually what is not so much covered is mental health or founders – I would say that’s the number one priority.”
(33:29) The importance of balance and intention in life and work
[34:48] “We live in the attention economy, like everything, trying to grab our attention.”
(35:35) Conclusion and final thoughts from Barry and William
