Stephen G. Charkoudian

Steve Charkoudian is a partner in Goodwin’s Technology group and IP Transactions practice, a practice that he co-founded and led for 15 years. Steve is a member of the firm’s Technology Companies group and 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. Steve regularly counsels clients on intellectual property issues raised by the development, training, and use of artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies and systems, including data training issues, and advises clients on the development of generative AI and open source acceptable use policies tailored to each client’s use cases. He is a regular contributor to Founders Workbench and frequently speaks to startups and early-stage companies about IP issues. Steve is also former chair of the Partnership Committee and co-chair of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee. He currently serves as co-chair of the Data Privacy practice.

Steve’s representative transactions include:

• Roku, Inc. (Nasdaq: ROKU), with respect to intellectual property matters in its pending acquisition by Fox Corporation (Nasdaq: FOXA, FOX) in a cash-and-stock transaction valuing Roku at approximately $22 billion in enterprise value, combining FOX’s premium live sports, news, and entertainment content with Roku’s leading connected TV streaming platform, which reaches more than 100 million streaming households globally.
• Autonomous Solutions, Inc. (ASI), a worldwide leader in industrial vehicle automation and developer of the Mobius® autonomous fleet management system, on the intellectual property aspects of the formation, in partnership with SoftBank Group Corp., of ASI Construction, ASI’s new business unit focused on automating construction equipment to address growing construction demand and a dwindling labor supply.
• Manifold, an enterprise AI agent platform for life sciences, in its strategic collaboration with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard to develop a next-generation, AI-enabled life sciences research platform, building on the principles of the Broad’s Terra platform for large-scale biomedical data analysis, secure data sharing, and global scientific collaboration.
• 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.
• AirLife, a leading North American manufacturer and distributor of consumable medical devices for anesthesia and respiratory care, with respect to intellectual property matters in its acquisition of Avanos Medical, Inc.’s (NYSE: AVNS) respiratory health business, including the BALLARD®, MICROCUFF®, and endOclear® product lines, adding three complementary brands, the R&D expertise behind them, and two manufacturing facilities to AirLife’s platform.
• ‘47, a privately held premium sports lifestyle brand, with respect to intellectual property matters in its acquisition by New Era Cap, LLC, a global lifestyle brand with a deeply rooted connection to sport, fashion and culture. The combination of the two family-founded brands created a premier global sport and lifestyle company expected to generate approximately $2 billion in annual revenue.
• WHP Global, a leading global brand management firm, with respect to intellectual property matters in its joint acquisition of the Bonobos® brand with strategic partner Express, Inc. (NYSE: EXPR), including an exclusive long-term license agreement granting EXPR the right to use the Bonobos intellectual property acquired by WHP Global to operate the Bonobos business in the United States.
• 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.
• 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. 
• Citrix Systems, Inc., with respect to a collaboration agreement with Microsoft to support the Microsoft RemoteFX technology platform.
• 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.
• 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™.

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 and 2025 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. In 2023, Steve was recognized by The Best Lawyers in America – Best Lawyers for his work in Information Technology Law.