Freedom to Operate (FTO) searches and analyses consist of conducting in-depth investigations, both on a national and international basis, to determine whether a specific technical solution may pose a risk of infringing third party intellectual property rights.

Basically, the search aims to examine the feasibility of manufacturing and/or marketing a specific product or implementing a process in a specific market, assessing the risk of infringement of existing patents and consequently the exposure to legal action.

Besides reducing the risk of patent infringement by guiding the development of products or processes to avoid potential legal conflicts, FTO searches allow greater control over strategic and financial planning, thus protecting investments in research and development. Secondly, a positive FTO supports and enhances the economic value of any patent obtained by preemptively excluding the possibility that its actual implementation could lead to critical issues for the owner.

On the other hand, the risks associated with neglecting this activity are significant: overlooking this phase may expose the company to damages that could result in significant losses.