CATL and Alfen’s sodium-ion battery rollout shows why tech partnerships need clear IP terms

CATL has entered a new partnership with Alfen to roll out 5 GWh of sodium-ion battery energy storage systems across Europe. Sodium-ion technology is gaining ground as an alternative to lithium-ion, offering a different cost and supply-chain profile.

When two companies combine technologies like this, IP questions follow naturally: who owns improvements made during the collaboration, how existing patents are licensed to the other party, and how each company’s proprietary know-how is protected once shared. Getting this right from the outset avoids disputes as the partnership scales.

For companies entering technology partnerships, clear IP agreements are as important as the technology itself.

The patent attorneys, trademark and design attorneys, and IP lawyers of Arnold & Siedsma support clients in identifying, protecting, commercialising and enforcing their intellectual property rights, helping ensure that valuable innovations remain protected as technologies evolve.

Read more here (Dutch article): Alfen sluit nieuwe samenwerking met CATL