The Creator
NovaTech Solutions, a 12-person SaaS startup based in Tallinn, Estonia.
The Situation
NovaTech received a patent infringement claim from a non-practicing entity asserting a broad patent on “predictive inventory allocation using machine learning.” The patent was filed 14 months after NovaTech had already deployed the technique in production. The licensing demand was $250,000.
The Problem
NovaTech’s git history showed the implementation existed before the patent filing date, but git timestamps can theoretically be manipulated. The patent troll’s lawyers would argue that the git history was retroactively created.
The AuthorHash Solution
NovaTech had implemented a practice of timestamping release tarballs with AuthorHash before each production deployment. The certificates for versions 2.3 through 2.7 — spanning 6 months before the patent filing date — provided independent, court-admissible proof of prior art, anchored in both EU eIDAS and the Bitcoin blockchain.
The Outcome
NovaTech’s patent lawyer filed an inter partes review petition citing the AuthorHash certificates as prior art evidence. The patent troll withdrew the claim within 60 days. Total cost: $60 for certificates + $8,000 in legal fees — versus the $250,000 demand.
"We timestamp every release now. It’s a 30-second step in our CI/CD pipeline. When the patent troll came knocking, those certificates saved us a quarter million euros. Best ROI of any tool we use.
Key Takeaway
Add AuthorHash to your CI/CD pipeline. Timestamp every release. Prior art defense for $60 beats a $250,000 settlement.