The "Patents vs. Trade Secrets" approach Fawad explained in this "Investors Q&A" I've known for many many years. Two facts:
A) It is similar to Marki Microwave's approach, started by Mr. Marki sr. & continued by Marki jr (son), PhD.
I was stunned at first after reading Marki's paper on the subject, but it seems working for them, it is a risky/bold way to continually be pushed to innovate while competitors "chase your taillights", but it can be difficult in USA. Outside USA Patents are often violated, anyway (e.g. China)
B) The truth is NOT only was Fawad afraid to pubslish Patents, but the cost. I've seen Patent Lawyer storming out of conference building after unable to agree w/AmpliTech. It cost w/USPTO back then around $25K/filing typically around 2010, maybe less/more nowadays
So it isn't just intentional decision/or "special philosophy" not to file Patents, but also pragmatic saving money. Just 4 Patents can cost $100K. It's combination of fear to publish + not willing to spend money, not just fear of publishing... because a DOZEN+ companies know exactly what/how Amplitech does LNAmps. Not only L3Nada who inherited Miteq, but also now even MiniCircuits who usedto be cr*p, afew years back got Miteq's Engr.Director - Joe Merenda (our friend on the West coast too) & a bunch of other Miteq's went out of Long Island, and besides Miteq's heritage other/well-recognizable MW/mmW co', & Norden, Mercury Sys, etc. ... you name it, they just avoid this niche/low-volume market.
We tune numerous amps/per day, Amplitech's makes fantatsic LNAmps but... at the cost of extremely laborous/LOW-volume tuning. In a way, it's similar to LowNoise Factory co, albeit more commodity/less advanced/cheaper.
The old expression from 1990's & thru 2010's - "dummies just drop MMIC's into metal box & connectorize" is not so dummy nowadays... I can get amazing stuff with MMIC's these days vs. discrte transisotrs, little tuning, and if something can only be done with a front-end FET's... so let AMplitech take it. Each company has its own "specialty" sklll, for AMplitech is it highly customized very low-noise often discretes-based stuff... JUST DON'T make it look like Patentable.
Per USPTO standards most of it hasn't been patentable since years 2000's... and dont' argue with me. I just know better, unlike some of you folks.
I watch MiniCircuits transphormation from mediocrity to what it is now in amazement, they used to private-reLabel others' stuff or copy, but not so bad nowadays So Uniqueness here is fragile, and Patents might be eventually necessary.
Anyways, let's wish luck to Amplitech on the show next week (2-7 June2019) - IMS/MTTS2019, the most major show of the RFMicrowaves world. Especially being in Amplitech's vicinity & fantatsic choice for the venue - Boston MA, near world's top engineering University - MIT, let's hope AmpliTech performs & gets new customers/orders. They deserve it, despite past pi**ing off too many engineers. :)
P.S. Iam not going, it Boston became too far from here, I used to drive there from home on Long Island, but now too much hassle to fly 6+6 hours (and more GaN work is urgent, here)
