Dr. Aeraj ul Haque

Aeraj’s practice covers patent preparation and prosecution, portfolio development, product clearance, freedom-to-operate (FTO) analysis, landscape analysis, and intellectual property due diligence in venture capital investment and M&A deals. He offers an interdisciplinary background in mechanical, agricultural and biological engineering, with a broad knowledge of business development, entrepreneurship, patent analysis, patent drafting and IP due diligence. He is extensively experienced in climate tech, battery tech, grid transmission and storage, chemical and manufacturing processes, oil and gas, software, artificial intelligence, fintech, agtech, materials, nanotechnology, semiconductor devices, detectors, microfluidics, medical devices, automotive tech, vehicle automation, vehicle-to-vehicle communication, controls, drug delivery, biomedical diagnostics and therapeutics, and wearable biosensors.

Aeraj has developed responses to US and international office actions, third-party letters to the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for interference proceedings, information disclosure statement (IDS) documents, declarations and appeals, performed patentability FTO analysis, and IP due diligence on venture and M&A deals.

Before joining Cooley, Aeraj was a senior patent agent at an international law firm. He performed prior art searches and analyzed results for patentability, invalidity and FTO-related matters. He also supported attorneys in organizing evidence for IP litigation.

In 2016, Aeraj cofounded and assumed a senior position at the Chain Reaction Innovations entrepreneur fellowship program at Argonne National Laboratory. There, he developed strategic initiatives, built research programs, led efforts to select startups for participation in the incubator, mentored entrepreneurs, and built partnerships with private investors and the venture community to support the startups. He also was the cofounder and chief technology officer of a veterinary diagnostic startup, and he brings his passion for entrepreneurship in developing IP strategies for early- to late-stage startups that best align with their business strategy.