Leadership

Keith Bergelt is the Chief Executive Officer of Open Invention Network (OIN), the collaborative enterprise that enables innovation in open source and an increasingly vibrant ecosystem around Linux. In this capacity he is directly responsible for enabling, influencing and defending the integrity of the Linux ecosystem. Central to the achievement of his goals is the acquisition and transfer of patent rights designed to permit members of the Linux ecosystem to operate free of the threat of assertion and litigation from those whose business models are antithetical to innovation and global economic growth in information technology and computing. Prior to joining the Open Invention Network, Mr. Bergelt served as president and CEO of two hedge funds – Paradox Capital and IPI – formed to unlock the considerable asset value of patents, trademarks and copyrights in middle market companies. During Mr. Bergelt’s stewardship of these activities, he raised over $300 million while financing IP-centric portfolio companies of leading private equity firms.

Previously, Mr. Bergelt served as a senior advisor to the technology investment division at Texas Pacific Group. He also headed business development, intellectual property and licensing for the Kelso & Company portfolio company Cambridge Display Technology. Additionally, he established and served as General Manager of the Strategic Intellectual Asset Management business unit at Motorola Corporation and served as Motorola’s director of Technology Strategy.

Mr. Bergelt holds degrees from Duke University, Southern Methodist University School of Law, and Theseus Institute in France. He is a frequent speaker on corporate strategy, finance, and IP management.