Patent Search Engine | Knowledge Graph - iprally

IPRally, a developing company originating in Finland and focused on improving the process of patent searching, has secured €2 million in seed funding.

JOIN Capital and Spintop Ventures spearheaded the investment, with additional funding coming from Icebreaker VC, a previous pre-seed investor. This latest round brings the total funding for the company, established in 2018, to €2.35 million.

The company was co-founded by Sakari Arvela, the current CEO, who brings 15 years of experience as a patent attorney. IPRally has created a knowledge graph designed to enhance the ability of computers to comprehend the intricate technical aspects of patents and to facilitate more effective patent reviews for professionals. The core idea is that utilizing a graph-based system is better suited for patent searches compared to relying on simple keywords or general text searches.

Arvela explains that each patent publication can be reduced to a more straightforward knowledge graph that aligns with the thinking of IP specialists and is significantly more accessible for machine processing.

“We launched IPRally in April 2018, following a year of independent development and initial testing with my co-founder and CTO, Juho Kallio,” he stated. “Prior to that, I had been exploring the graph-based method for approximately two years and ultimately decided to launch the business.”

Arvela emphasizes that patent searching presents a significant challenge because it requires both a thorough understanding of technology and the ability to meticulously compare different technologies.

“Historically, this task has been performed almost entirely by hand throughout the history of the patent system. Even the latest machine learning models currently available are not precise enough to effectively address this problem. Therefore, we have developed a specialized ML model specifically for the patent field, mirroring the approach used by human experts and making the task more manageable for computers.”

This strategy is proving successful, as IPRally is currently utilized by clients including Spotify and ABB, as well as various intellectual property offices. The company’s target audience includes any organization that actively safeguards its research and development through patents and needs to understand the intellectual property landscape of its competitors.

However, IPRally does face competition. Arvela points to established companies such as Clarivate and Questel, which currently lead the market with conventional keyword-based search engines.

Furthermore, several other startups employing AI, including Amplified and IPScreener, are also present in the market. “IPRally’s graph-based approach delivers more accurate search results, enables detailed computer analysis, and provides a transparent solution that users can understand and control,” he notes.