Kateeva Names Burch Harper as Vice President of Intellectual Property

NEWARK, CA--(Marketwired - Aug 24, 2016) -  Kateeva, the OLED production equipment leader, today announced that it has hired Burch Harper to lead its Intellectual Property (IP) organization.

Harper is a respected patent enforcement and technology licensing expert. He brings special expertise in negotiating complex IP licenses and technology collaboration agreements. In his lengthy career with Silicon Valley technology companies, he has built robust infrastructures that enable high-value IP to support core business objectives, while overseeing disciplined global enforcement. He joins Kateeva from Rambus Inc., where he helped lead the company's patent strategy, as well as its IP litigation and licensing programs.

"We're fortunate to find a candidate with such credentials to lead our IP organization," said Kateeva CEO Alain Harrus. "Burch is keenly in tune with the legal dynamics of US companies creating advanced technologies and associated IP for marquee manufacturers of high-tech products. His knowledge and expertise will be invaluable as we continue to innovate and strengthen our patent portfolio."

Harper's appointment coincides with Kateeva's steady accumulation of patents, notably in China and Korea, as well as in the US. Recent patents include specialized innovations surrounding Kateeva's YIELDjet™ inkjet printing technology for Thin Film Encapsulation (TFE). TFE is a critical step in the process of producing flexible OLED displays in high volume.

In welcoming Harper, Kateeva President and COO Conor Madigan, noted, "Our IP activity matches the pace of our product positioning in Asia as display manufacturers turn to YIELDjet equipment to mass produce flexible OLEDs. Burch's arrival is timely. His leadership will safeguard and strengthen the Kateeva IP that's enabling an extraordinary trajectory for OLED technology, and making exciting flexible electronics products possible."

"Kateeva has built a powerful portfolio of valuable IP around its inkjet printing manufacturing equipment solution," said Harper. "There's hardware, software, materials, processes, and more, with each innovation scrupulously protected to ensure that customers can extract maximum value from the sum of those parts. It's a terrific opportunity to join this team of inventors. I'm excited to take on the challenge."

At Rambus, Harper was Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for IP Licensing and Technology Transactions. A key architect of the company's patent strategy, he negotiated and drafted license agreements with leading global semiconductor manufacturers, while also developing and implementing Rambus' litigation strategy. Before Rambus, he was Associate General Counsel/Senior Director at Silicon Image, Inc., where he managed the patent portfolio and oversaw the company's IP prosecution strategy. Previously, he was a Senior Counsel at Sun Microsystems, where he crafted semiconductor and related licensing agreements, as well as JDAs and OEM contracts.

He began his legal career as a Patent Examiner at the US Patent and Trademark Office in Washington, DC, before moving to Silicon Valley to join prominent law firm, Fenwick and West.

Harper holds a BA degree in Liberal Arts from St. John's College in Annapolis, MD, as well as a BS degree in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University. He obtained his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Michigan Law School at Ann Arbor.

He is a member of the Licensing Executives Society, the American Intellectual Property Law Association, and the Intellectual Property Owners Association. Also, he's a frequent speaker on topics ranging from IP trial strategies to antitrust considerations in licensing arrangements.

YIELDjet is trademarked by Kateeva.

About Kateeva, Inc.
Kateeva makes breakthrough production equipment for manufacturers of advanced electronics technologies. The company has pioneered a precision deposition technology platform that uses innovative inkjet printing to deposit coatings on complex applications with blinding speed and superb accuracy. Technology leaders use Kateeva's solution to enable cost-effective mass production of flexible and large-size OLED displays, among other cutting-edge products. Kateeva is headquartered in Silicon Valley, maintains operations in Korea, Taiwan, Japan and China, and is backed by leading Venture Capital firms and other investors. www.kateeva.com.