Aurora Patents

What Aurora Patents does

Aurora Patents (legal entity Aurora Consulting LLC, d/b/a Aurora Consulting and Aurora Patents) is a Traverse City, Michigan-based patent strategy boutique founded in 2013 that serves early-stage technology companies in life sciences, medical devices, digital health, and software. The firm operates as a fractional, embedded alternative to in-house IP counsel, with a team of roughly seven practitioners holding Ph.D., M.S., and J.D. credentials across biomedical sciences, materials science, computer science, and law. Its offering is structured in three service tiers — Administrative (deadline management, filing, monitoring, portfolio visualization), Complementary (fractional in-house IP management paired with outside counsel), and Complete (high-touch end-to-end portfolio strategy including budgeting) — covering both US and foreign patent strategy, drafting, prosecution, filing, and searching.

The firm monetizes through customized professional-services engagements, with fees tailored to company size, innovation maturity, and client involvement; pricing is not publicly disclosed and is scoped via a complimentary 30-minute consultation. Distribution is sales-led, anchored by direct engagement, founder referrals, and an extensive content platform (Patently Strategic monthly podcast, Mossoff Minute short-form videos, Patently Strategic Newsletter, blog, YouTube, and downloadable resources including the Patent Profanity Dictionary and a Foreign Filing License Requirements Table). Go-to-market is reinforced by deep involvement in the startup ecosystem: Aurora is an Ann Arbor SPARK-approved patent services provider, partners with MichBio on life-sciences IP education, and delivers master classes via InnovatorMD to healthcare innovators.

Name

Aurora Patents

Legal name

Aurora Consulting LLC

Website

https://aurorapatents.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Aurora Patents is a Traverse City, Michigan-based patent strategy boutique founded in 2013 that serves early-stage life science, medical device, digital health, and software companies with tiered, embedded patent portfolio services — from administrative management to fractional in-house counsel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Patent strategy and intellectual property services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Patent Prosecution & Portfolio Management (BPAHAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Intellectual Property (IP) Law (BPAHAAAF), IP Search, Watch & Competitive Intelligence (BPAHAMAI), IP Due Diligence & Freedom-to-Operate (FTO) Analysis (BPAHAMAG), IP & Patent Information Publishing (Patent/Litigation Analytics, Prior Art) (MPAJACAK)

Keywords

• Patent strategy services
• Patent portfolio management
• Patent drafting prosecution
• Prior art searching
• Startup IP counsel

Headquarters

HQ city

Palo Alto

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Patent Strategy and Portfolio Management Services: The firm offers tiered professional services for patent strategy, drafting, prosecution, filing, and searching. Services are tailored to each startup client and scale from administrative management to comprehensive outside counsel. Fees are customized based on company size, innovation state, and client involvement level. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is handled via consultation.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Aurora Patents is a patent strategy boutique that develops and manages patent portfolios for early-stage life science, medical device, digital health, and software companies. Its core services cover patent strategy, drafting, prosecution, filing, and prior art searching for US and foreign patents, delivered through three adaptive service tiers that scale from administrative portfolio management to fractional in-house IP counsel to comprehensive outside counsel. The firm positions itself as a high-touch, embedded alternative to a full-time in-house IP hire, tailoring scope and pricing to each startup's technology, financing timeline, and exit strategy.

Product overview

Aurora Patents is a patent strategy boutique specializing in serving early-stage life science, medical device, digital health, and software companies. They offer three tiers of patent services: Administrative (portfolio management and deadline tracking), Complementary (fractional IP management with outside counsel), and Complete (comprehensive portfolio strategy with strategic planning and budget management). Their integrated content platform includes the Patently Strategic Podcast, Mossoff Minute educational videos, Patently Strategic Newsletter, and practical patent resources like the Patent Profanity Dictionary and Foreign Filing License Requirements table.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Patent Portfolio Strategy
• Patent Search and Analysis

Quantifiable outcome

• Aurora-managed patent portfolio contributed to the acquisition of Hansen Medical, Inc.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Northwestern Michigan College (NMC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 October 2025Ashley Sloat partnered with Mallory King of Breathe Brand Protection to deliver a talk at NMC's 10th Annual Conference titled 'Policy Implications for Colleges at the Crossroads of AI and IP Law.'
• Centrepolis Accelerator / Lawrence Technological UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 September 2025Aurora participated in the ManuTech Innovation Summit 2025 in Novi, MI, hosted by Centrepolis Accelerator and Lawrence Technological University, connecting with hard-tech startups, corporate innovators, and investors.
• InnovatorMDcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 July 2024Aurora delivered a session on 'Government Grants and IP Rights' covering SBIR/STTR grant implications for IP ownership and licensing at the InnovatorMD World Congress 2024.
• 20FathomscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 October 2023Aurora partners with 20Fathoms in Traverse City on events including the 'Intellectual Assets: Currency Before Your Capital' lunch-and-learn. Ashley Sloat serves on the Board of Directors for 20Fathoms. 20Fathoms hosts Aurora-led events on IP topics including patent quality and avoiding common mistakes.
• MichBiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2023Aurora partners with MichBio (Michigan's life sciences association) on webinars and educational content. Ashley Sloat serves on MichBio's IP & Legal Affairs Committee. Collaborative events include 'Stronger Life Science Patents,' 'Patent Application Strategies,' and 'Prenuptial Patenting.'
• XLerateHealthminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 July 2021Aurora delivered a talk on IP strategy for the XLerateHealth Flint cohort, a 12-week virtual acceleration program connecting healthcare startups with health systems, universities, and investors.
• Ann Arbor SPARKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2021Aurora partners with Ann Arbor SPARK on the SPARK.ed education series for startups in the SPARK ecosystem. The three-part series covers topics including 'Patenting in the Early Years,' 'Prenuptial Patenting,' and 'Decrypting Software Patents.' Aurora is also an approved patent services provider for SPARK-served startups.
• InnovatorMDcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2021Aurora partners with InnovatorMD on the InnovatorMD University Master Class series — a year-long program of 40 Master Classes for healthcare innovators. Ashley Sloat serves as an instructor for patent-focused classes including 'Digital Health Entrepreneurship: Global & US Patents' and 'Patenting in the Early Years.'

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BlueIron IP: Patent prosecution boutique focused on high-tech and life sciences clients. Directly comparable in offering (patent strategy, drafting, prosecution for startups and emerging companies), though with different geographic anchoring.
• Sterne Kessler: Patent prosecution and strategy boutique serving electronics, software, biotech, and medical device clients. Closely comparable to Aurora's patent prosecution and portfolio offering and overlapping client verticals (software, life sciences, medical devices).
• Schmeiser, Olsen & Watts: Patent prosecution and strategy firm with strong life sciences and medical device expertise. Comparable to Aurora in vertical specialization and patent prosecution orientation, with similar boutique positioning.
• Greer Burns & Crain: Patent prosecution boutique serving technology and life sciences clients globally. Comparable in boutique positioning, prosecution focus, and emphasis on quality patent portfolio development for startups and growth-stage companies.
• Bookoff McAndrews: Boutique IP firm specializing in patent prosecution, opinions, and portfolio management for technology and life sciences companies. Comparable in service scope and startup/scale-up client focus, though with greater presence in mechanical and high-tech domains.
• Harrity & Harrity: Patent boutique focused on patent prosecution and portfolio management for technology clients, including startups. Highly comparable to Aurora in service mix (drafting, prosecution, portfolio strategy) and startup-segment focus, though with broader geographic reach and a larger team.

Broad incumbents

• Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati: Premier technology and life sciences law firm with extensive patent prosecution capabilities. Comparable in serving venture-backed startups with patent strategy needs, but as a broad incumbent rather than a specialized boutique.
• Fish & Richardson: One of the largest U.S. IP specialty law firms with deep patent prosecution and litigation practices. Comparable because it serves technology and life science clients on patent strategy and portfolio development, but operates at far greater scale and full-service breadth than Aurora's boutique model.
• Cooley LLP: Major law firm with one of the largest patent prosecution and IP litigation practices, heavily serving life sciences and technology clients. Comparable in serving startup and venture-backed clients with patent needs, but operating as a full-service firm rather than a boutique.

Emerging players

• Patsnap: AI-enabled patent analytics and prior-art search platform. Comparable because Aurora partners with Patsnap for content/events and overlaps in patent search/landscape analysis services — but Patsnap operates as a technology platform rather than a services firm.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AuroraPatents
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@aurorapatents/videos
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aurora-cg
• Instagraminstagram.com/aurorapatents
• Facebookfacebook.com/aurorapatents

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aurora Patents