Stephen G. Charkoudian

Steve Charkoudian is a partner in Goodwin’s Strategic Technology Transactions and Licensing practice, a practice that he co-founded and led for 15 years. Steve is a member of the firm’s Technology Companies group and a leader of our Artificial Intelligence + Machine Learning Accelerator. He concentrates on technology, data, and intellectual property transactions, including technology and data transfers and licensing; artificial intelligence and machine learning; collaboration, strategic alliance and joint development agreements; open source issues; data privacy and security; and due diligence and other intellectual property issues in joint ventures, mergers, acquisitions and venture capital and private equity transactions. He is a regular contributor to Founders Workbench and frequently speaks to start-ups and early-stage companies about IP issues. Steve is also former co-chair of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee and the Partnership Committee. He currently serves as co-chair of the Data, Privacy, and Cybersecurity practice.

Steve’s representative transactions include:

• PTC Inc., in a strategic partnership with Rockwell Automation that includes technical collaboration across the organizations as well as joint global go-to-market initiatives. PTC and Rockwell Automation agreed to align their respective smart factory technologies and combine PTC’s industrial connectivity and augmented reality platforms with Rockwell Automation’s factory analytics, and industrial automation platforms. As part of the partnership, Rockwell Automation will make a $1 billion equity investment in PTC, and Rockwell Automation’s Chairman and CEO will join PTC’s board of directors.
• WiTricity, Inc., a pioneer in wireless power transfer, in its strategic intellectual property license agreements. WiTricity is a licensee of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In addition to negotiating WiTricity’s license Agreement with M.I.T., Steve’s transactions for WiTricity include:
  • A design collaboration with STMicroelctronics (NYSE: STM) to develop semiconductor solutions for magnetic-resonance-based wireless power transfer.
  • A license agreement with the Toyota Motor Corporation. Toyota will use the technology to incorporate wireless charging capabilities into its rechargeable hybrid electric and battery operated vehicles.
  • A license agreement with Delphi Automotive to develop automatic wireless charging products for hybrid and electric vehicles. The collaboration between the two companies will help establish a global infrastructure of safe and convenient charging options for consumer and commercial electric vehicles.
• New Balance Athletics in its collaboration with Intel on an Android Wear smartwatch that enables athletes to work out untethered from a smart phone.
• iRobot Corporation (Nasdaq: IRBT) with respect to intellectual property issues in:
  • Its $74 million acquisition of Evolution Robotics, Inc.; and
  • The sale of its Defense & Security business to Arlington Capital Partners for up to $45 million in total consideration, including a contingent payment based on achieving certain milestones. 
• Convergent Dental, in a strategic partnership with MEDIS SLU for the distribution of the Solea dental laser across the Republic of Korea.
• Hasbro, Inc., a global branded play company and owner of some of the world’s most popular brands, in its acquisition of a 70% interest in Backflip Studios. Hasbro paid $112 million in the all-cash transaction. 
• MTV Networks, a division of Viacom, with respect to intellectual property and technology matters in its acquisition of Harmonix Music Systems, developer of the hits Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and other music gaming titles.
• Disruptor Beam, a developer and publisher of branded mobile and web games, in licensing transactions for  its critically acclaimed games, Star Trek Timelines and Game of Thrones Ascent.
• Turbine, Inc., with respect to its distribution and localization agreement with CDC Games, a wholly owned subsidiary of China.com Inc., a business unit of CDC Corporation, for The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™.
• CCP Games (maker of the MMOG EVE Online) in intellectual property and technology matters, in connection with its merger with White Wolf Publishing, the world’s second-largest developer of offline role-playing, strategy and collectable card games.
• TA Associates, regarding intellectual property and technology matters in its investment in Mythic Entertainment, the developer of MMORPG Dark Age of Camelot.
• Haemonetics Corporation, in connection with a collaboration and license agreement with Arryx, Inc. under which Haemonetics was licensed to use Arryx’s optical trapping technology to develop applications for human healthcare applications. Represented Haemonetics in its later acquisition of Arryx.
• Goldman Sachs in its $100 million growth equity investment in Applied Predictive Technologies (APT), a cloud-based predictive analytics software company.
• Citrix Systems, Inc., with respect to a collaboration agreement with Microsoft to support the Microsoft RemoteFX technology platform.

Steve is a member of the Boston and Massachusetts Bar Associations and the International Technology Law Association.

Steve has been recognized by publications, including The Legal 500 US, for his work on technology transactions, patents: licensing, and cyber law; IAM Patent 1000 – The World’s Leading Patent Professionals; IAM Strategy 300 – The World’s Leading IP Strategists, as a “Leading Licensing and Technology Transactions Lawyer;” and Best Lawyers in the field of information technology law.

Steve is ranked in the 2024 edition of Chambers USA for Intellectual Property: Licensing and Technology in Massachusetts and Private Equity: Buyouts in California. Steve is ranked in the 2022 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, for his expertise in technology. Steve has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America Best Lawyers for his work in Information Technology Law 2023.