

Patent Startup RPX Goes from Zero to $160M IPO in Less Than Three Years - dkm540
http://www.xconomy.com/san-francisco/2011/05/04/rpx-defensive-patent-firm-goes-from-zero-to-160m-ipo-in-less-than-three-years-thoughts-from-boston-investor-crv/

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noonespecial
This is not a "startup" as we have come to use this term on HN. Hell, it
barely qualifies as a business in my book.

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yanw
'Patent startup' is an oxymoron.

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jplewicke
Except for when it's not. According to the linked article, their business
model is that they'll help protect you from the patent trolling of larger
companies. For example, if you pay them $X,000 a month and you get sued by
Microsoft for patent infringement, RPX will try to counter-sue Microsoft for
infringing one of their patents.

It's not a complete solution to patent trolls, but it seems like RPX could
provide a very legitimate service to companies that want to focus on building
their business instead of worrying about getting patent-trolled by a
competitor. It can't save you from getting sued by a completely non-practicing
entity like Intellectual Ventures, but nothing else can yet either.

