News From the Innovation Law Center

Innovation Law Center

Innovation Law Center

The ILC is the designated NYS Science & Technology Law Center. It is funded by the Empire State Development Corp. to provide information and research on legal issues relevant to the technology commercialization process. Research is available to early-stage companies, research centers, economic development agencies, technology transfer offices, and researchers throughout New York State.  Research on the intellectual property, competitive, and market landscapes relevant to a new technology are completed by law and business students under the supervision of faculty. 

If you are interested in having the ILC complete research, please submit a request here.

IP / Regulatory Law Watch

US jury says Apple must pay Masimo $634 million in smartwatch patent case

This past Friday, November 14th, Apple and Masimo received a new jury verdict. The latest jury verdict said that Apple owed Masimo $634 million for infringing one of their patents, the blood oxygen monitor technology. The claim at issue was whether an Apple Watch could be considered a “patient monitor”. This determination was the crucial point of the case and was the majority of the arguments held by both sides. 

The battle between these two companies has generally been ongoing for about 6 years. Throughout these 6 years, Masimo has alleged that about 25 different patents have been infringed by Apple. However, most of these patents have been found to be invalid. In the new Apple Watches (202-2023), they included technology for blood oxygen reading. When Apple released the Watches with this function, Masimo sued Apple. Only one patent, this particular blood oxygen reading patent, has been found to be valid even though the patent expired in 2022.

Since 2023, there has been a ban on this technology in Apple Watches. This ban by the U.S. Trade Tribunal was to block imports of the Watches if they had the reading monitor in them. However, Apple created an updated version of the Watch with a similar technology that was able to be sold and avoided the ban. This approval was from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Because of this, the International Trade Commission (ITC) will be holding a new preceding to determine whether these new updated Watches are subject to the ban. To read more: 

Around NY State

Recently, the Innovation Law Center (ILC) has been “out and about” in New York! The ILC has been to many different events this past month. Two of them are Grow NY and the New York State Innovation Summit.

Grow NY:

The ILC attended this year’s Grow-NY Food & Ag Summit on November 12-13 in Canandaigua, NY. This is an event where top global startups in food and agtech (agricultural technology) pitched for over $3 million in awards and showcased innovation across the agrifood ecosystem and how emerging technologies are reshaping food systems, agriculture, sustainability, and regional economic development.

ILC at the New York State Innovation Summit:

The ILC participated in the New York State Innovation Summit on October 29–30 in Rochester, NY. Here, the ILC joined entrepreneurs, researchers, and manufacturers from across the state to explore cutting-edge technologies and emerging markets. Hosted by FuzeHub and NYSTAR, the event highlighted advances in AI, clean energy, biotechnology, and advanced manufacturing that are driving New York’s innovation economy.

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At both events, the ILC connected with founders, startups, and ecosystem partners to share how the ILC’s legal, regulatory, and commercialization guidance supports innovators moving from concept to market. Both the Summit and Grow NY provided valuable insight into statewide innovation trends and reaffirmed ILC’s role in helping New York’s technology ventures grow responsibly and strategically.

Upcoming Events

Koffman Webinar: Essential Soft Skills for Start-up Founders

• What: Leading an early-stage startup requires more than technical expertise and strategic vision. It demands exceptional soft skills that can make or break your venture’s success. In resource-constrained environments where every hire matters and pivots are frequent, leaders must master the art of human-centered leadership. For Registration: 
• When: November 25, 2025, @ 11:00 
• Where: Virtual Event

Do you have an event or schedule you would like to advertise? Contact Karen Scullion at nysstlc@syr.edu to share it in our next monthly newsletter. 

Funding Opportunities

From early-stage non-dilutive funding to tax benefits and investment funds, NYS has a number of funding resources for inventors and entrepreneurs. Check out the links below for more information:

• USPTO Law School Clinic Certification Program
  • The USPTO has a directory for participating law schools throughout the U.S.
• VLA Patent Pro Bono Program
  • Volunteer Lawyers of the Arts helps inventors in the NYC area with drafting patent applications.
• Empire State Development
  • ESD offers several resources, including: Start-UP NY, the Innovate NY Fund, NY Ventures, and the Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). 
• FuzeHub
  • This company points to a collection of resources for manufacturing and technology start-ups.
• 43North
  • 43North annually invests in startup companies located in Buffalo, NY.
• Pursuit Lending
  • Pursuit provides loans and information for small business owners in NY.
• America’s Seed Fund
  • The National Science Foundation (NSF) invests in early-stage projects with this fund.
• NYS Investment Entities, Including:
  • Cayuga Venture Fund 
  • Excell Partners 
  • ff Venture Capital 
  • Golden Seeds 
  • Partnership Fund for NYC 
  • SCP Incubators / Z80 Labs 
  • Stonehenge Capital  

Questions or Suggestions: Contact Innovation Review Editor Patrick Cramer at nysstlc@syr.edu