PSS Solutions and Cblindspot announce a strategic partnership to establish the open benchmark standard for IP management system evaluation

PSS Solutions, the leading IP operations, digitalisation, change and transformation consultancy firm, and Cblindspot, the neutral interconnection and measurement layer between IP management systems and specialised IP and LegalTech platforms, have announced a strategic partnership and the co-development of IPMSBench, the first open, vendor-neutral benchmark standard designed to bring objectivity and transparency to IPMS evaluations. The methodology and first evaluation framework are expected in Q4 2026.

Today, IP departments selecting, replacing or renewing an IPMS face a decision that has strategic implications for value creation, insight generation and operational efficiency. Yet these expensive technology choices, sometimes above a million dollars of investment, still rely heavily on vendor demonstrations, peer recommendations and intuition, rather than being anchored in a clear, performance-based framework aligned to business outcomes.

PSS Solutions brings independent advisory expertise in IPMS selection and large-scale operational transformation to IP departments across multiple industries worldwide. Cblindspot brings the measurement infrastructure to instrument real IP workflows and capture objective system performance. Together, they are building what the industry has been missing: IPMSBench, the first open, vendor-neutral benchmark standard that gives IP departments and their advisors the independent data they need to make an informed, future-proof decision that truly aligns with their organisation's goals, culture and operational reality. The partnership is focused specifically on IPMS evaluation; IPMSBench is a dedicated standard for that decision.

A new standard for IP technology decisions

Choosing the wrong IPMS can be one of the most consequential decisions an IP department makes. Organisations continue to invest millions in platforms that perform well in demonstrations but whose real-world performance remains difficult to assess before deployment.

Until now, there has been no shared, vendor-neutral way to independently measure and compare systems against real-world performance outcomes.

IPMSBench will establish a common measurement standard for the IP industry. For the first time, IP departments will be able to evaluate and compare IPMS platforms using transparent operational data rather than sales narratives alone. As an open standard, its methodology is published and versioned, so that any IP department, advisor or vendor can review how systems are assessed.

“The IPMS market is stratified, with providers ranging from well-known global platforms to niche specialists. PSS Solutions was founded to bring evidence-based, independent advisory into the sector. By partnering with Cblindspot to co-develop IPMSBench, we are taking that a step further, giving IP departments an objective standard to make informed, future-proof decisions.”, Nadine Stuttle, Founder and Managing Director, PSS Solutions

“IP tools do not talk to each other today. Processes break between systems, and organisations have limited visibility into what is actually working and what it is costing them. Cblindspot was built to change that. IPMSBench, co-developed with PSS Solutions, is the first step towards giving IP departments the transparency and objectivity they need for sustainable change and business growth.”, Sacha Lafaurie, CEO and cofounder, Cblindspot

Evaluating your IPMS stack? Design partners are being selected now to shape IPMSBench.