Welcome to the latest instalment of Managing IP’s ‘Five minutes with’ series, where we learn more about intellectual property practitioners on a personal and professional level. This time, we meet Tamar Gomez at Ankar AI, an artificial intelligence platform for inventors.
Someone asks you at a party what you do for a living. What do you say?
I help inventors create the ideas that solve the world’s toughest challenges
Talk us through a typical working day.
Wake up, coffee, run – that’s the calm. Then comes the storm: patents, AI, customers and a dash of chaos. Wouldn’t have it any other way.
What are you working on at the moment?
Right now, I’m working with chemists and drafters to build an AI assistant that writes crystal-clear Markush formula descriptions – the holy grail for chemical patents.
Does one big piece of work usually take priority or are you juggling multiple things?
As a founder, I’m always spinning plates: hiring brilliant people, talking to customers, and pushing the product forward. It’s a juggling act, and honestly, I love it.
What is the most exciting aspect of your role and what is the most stressful?
They’re the same: building the next generation of tools for inventors. It’s exhilarating and terrifying in equal measure.
Tell us the key characteristics that make a successful IP lawyer/practitioner.
I’m not an IP lawyer myself, but the best I’ve seen combine big-picture strategy with an obsession for detail. It’s a rare and powerful mix.
What is the most common misconception about IP?
That it’s niche! In reality, IP is how society values ideas. Without it, innovation would grind to a halt.
What or who inspires you?
My cofounder, Wiem Gharbi, inspires me daily – she’s unstoppable. And our team at Ankar: fiercely clever, endlessly resilient, never backing down.
If you weren’t in IP, what would you be doing?
I would be a soldier.
Any advice you would give your younger self?
You’ll figure it out
What is your motto in life?
À la vie, à la mort!
