Avanci
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Information and communications technology (ICT), Patent licensing |
| Founded | 2016 |
| Founder | Kasim Alfalahi |
| Headquarters | Dallas , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Kasim Alfalahi (Founder and CEO), Marianne Frydenlund (Head of IoT expansion) |
| Products | Patent licensing platforms for connected vehicles (4G and 5G), IoT, broadcasting, aftermarket vehicle products |
Avanci operates as a private platform for patent licensing, established in 2016 by Kasim Alfalahi. The company focuses on the information and communications technology (ICT) sector, with particular emphasis on the Internet of Things (IoT) and broadcasting fields. By consolidating patents from various owners into unified agreements, Avanci streamlines the licensing process for manufacturers utilizing standardized technologies. Its headquarters are located in Dallas, Texas, with additional offices in Dublin, Beijing, Tokyo, and Seoul.
By 2023, Avanci's 4G Vehicle marketplace comprised 57 patent owners offering licenses for portfolios that include eCall and standard essential patents from 2G through 4G. The 5G Vehicle marketplace featured 61 licensors providing patents spanning from 2G up to 5G standards. The company estimates that between 80% and 85% of connected vehicles worldwide operate under Avanci’s licensing agreements. Prominent patent contributors on its platform include Ericsson, InterDigital, Nokia, Qualcomm, and Sharp. Avanci licenses more than 80 automotive manufacturers such as Audi, BMW, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche, Renault, Stellantis, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo. Together, these agreements cover over 130 million vehicles globally.
In 2023, Avanci broadened its portfolio by introducing Avanci Aftermarket for licensing cellular patents related to vehicle aftermarket products and Avanci Broadcast for licensing ATSC 3.0 broadcast technology.
History
Avanci was created in 2016 by Kasim Alfalahi, who previously served as Chief Intellectual Property Officer at Ericsson. Ericsson was among the initial patent holders to participate in Avanci’s Vehicle marketplace along with InterDigital, KPN, Qualcomm, and ZTE. Later that year, Sony also became a participant.
In 2017, BMW became the first automaker to enter into a licensing agreement with Avanci. This was followed by Volvo, Audi, Porsche, and Volkswagen. By 2018, the platform had grown to include twenty patent holders licensing their portfolios through Avanci; among them were Conversant, NTT Docomo, and Nokia. In 2021, Daimler AG and Jaguar Land Rover joined as licensees. The following year saw General Motors and Ford establish licensing agreements while LG Electronics and Pantech joined as licensors. In September 2022, Honda, Nissan, and Toyota became the first Japanese car manufacturers to license via Avanci.
In July 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division reviewed Avanci’s operations and concluded that its platform was unlikely to impede competition due to its adherence to fair, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory (FRAND) terms along with implemented competition safeguards.
August 2022 marked the appointment of Marianne Frydenlund from Nordic Semiconductor to lead Avanci’s expansion into new IoT markets. During the same month, Hyundai and Kia signed licensing agreements.
A 2023 publication in the Journal of Intellectual Property Law & Practice recognized Avanci as a comprehensive solution for automotive standard essential patent licensing, emphasizing its wide industry adoption and regulatory endorsements in both the United States and Europe.
In February 2023, Avanci introduced its Aftermarket program designed for cellular patent licensing related to connected vehicle products installed after sale. This initiative involves over 40 patent holders including Ericsson, InterDigital, and Qualcomm and covers devices such as entertainment systems and tracking units.
March 2023 saw the rollout of Avanci Broadcast targeting the ATSC 3.0 broadcast standard implemented in multiple countries. The platform represents more than 70% of declared ATSC 3.0 patent families from contributors like ETRI, LG Electronics, Panasonic, Samsung Electronics, Sharp, and Sun Patent Trust. In August of that year, Avanci Broadcast secured its initial licensees: Atlanta DTH and ZapperBox.
Samsung joined Avanci Vehicle’s 4G licensing program in April 2023—marking its debut on a collective licensing platform. In June 2023, Avanci earned the "Global Patent License Provider of the Year" award at the Managing IP Awards.
September 2023 witnessed the launch of Avanci’s 5G program for connected vehicles offering a single license that encompasses patented technologies essential across connectivity standards from 2G through 5G. This includes vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology facilitating communication between vehicles and infrastructure systems. The program debuted with participation from 58 licensors; Mercedes-Benz was the inaugural licensee followed by BMW. Huawei also joined both the Avanci 4G and 5G Vehicle programs during this period.
Leadership
Kasim Alfalahi is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Avanci. Prior to establishing Avanci, he held the position of Chief Intellectual Property Officer at Ericsson, where patent licensing activities generated $1.7 billion in revenue during 2015. After dedicating more than two decades to Ericsson, Alfalahi created Avanci to bring clarity and consistency to licensing fee structures. In 2022, Managing IP recognized him among the "50 most influential people in IP" due to Avanci's expansion in the automotive patent licensing sector. Additionally, in March 2023, Intellectual Asset Management honored him as the top individual on its Market Makers 2022 list, highlighting his success in onboarding a wide range of automakers to Avanci Vehicle. Beyond his corporate roles, Alfalahi contributes as a board member at St. Mark's School of Texas and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.