Brian Andrea – Supernal

In the world of innovation, where ideas can be as valuable as gold, a company’s head of intellectual property is a quiet but powerful guardian. Their task is intricate yet straightforward at its core: protect the intangible assets that define their company’s edge. Part strategist, part negotiator and part watchdog, this traditional IP lead balances legal finesse with technical expertise, shaping a protective shield around inventions, trade secrets, technologies, and confidential information. The work spans from examining new ideas generated by research teams to securing patents, fending off infringement allegations, and navigating the complex landscape of global IP law to ensure that the company’s innovations remain exclusive and lucrative. Their vigilance preserves competitive advantage and cultivates a culture of invention, allowing the company’s brightest minds to innovate confidently.

Brian Andrea | Supernal | Head of Intellectual Property

Brian Andrea is responsible for protecting Supernal‘s IP. This advanced air mobility company is helping to pioneer a new era in transportation with electric vehicle takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles.

“As part of Hyundai Motor Group, Supernal aims to redefine urban and regional air travel by developing safe, sustainable and scalable aerial vehicles for passenger and cargo transport,” Brian says.

With its sights set on commercial launch in 2028, Supernal is committed to creating an innovative ecosystem that seamlessly integrates with existing transportation networks. The company is focused on developing environmentally friendly, efficient aircraft that emphasize cutting-edge technology, including electric propulsion, autonomy and simplified vehicle operations. This will make urban air travel a viable and accessible option for future generations.

Flying high in law

Brian’s journey to becoming head of intellectual property at Supernal is one of clear ambition, marked by a steady rise from patent examiner to IP lead in a groundbreaking aviation tech company. His role is as multi-layered as the technology Supernal is developing. With no product on the market yet, Supernal is innovating a new kind of aircraft, exploring electric powertrains, scalability, and autonomy—technologies that have not yet hit the market and require rigorous attention to intellectual property.

Brian and his team must carefully guard Supernal’s proprietary work while ensuring their engineers don’t inadvertently copy other companies’ ideas. As he describes it, his job is to protect Supernal’s emerging IP by evaluating inventions and prioritizing those deemed potentially patentable.

Reflecting on his recent promotion, Brian shares that while his day-to-day responsibilities have grown, his dedication to transparency remains unchanged. He doesn’t hide his intentions, a style he believes has benefited his leadership journey.

“I’m pretty straightforward, don’t beat around the bush, and value transparency,” he says.

Vigilance on the ground

Brian’s IP philosophy is as practical as it is strategic. Although his primary practice at this time is developing an IP asset portfolio, his background as a litigator certainly influences how he navigates IP strategy at Supernal. He knows well the value of clear communication:

“I’ve learned the value of writing in plain English—more words aren’t necessarily better.”

From a strategic standpoint, he prioritizes simplicity in managing his team and in the inventions Supernal pursues. Every potential patent application is evaluated critically, balancing various factors, including the invention’s technical value, budget constraints and commercial relevance.

Brian has shaped Supernal’s IP processes to maximize both protection and innovation. For example, he finds conducting “invention harvesting” sessions with engineering teams to stay ahead of the curve particularly energizing. These sessions give him insight into what ideas the engineers are working on and allow him to identify promising innovations. With Supernal’s focus on automation and simplified vehicle operations, he believes the team has an incredible opportunity to create an entirely new aircraft type.

Brian draws on his litigation background in his current role but is satisfied with the smaller, close-knit IP team. He also strongly believes in finding the right colleagues and the right culture fit. Although typical litigation teams are larger, he has found working with a smaller team to be quite enjoyable, notwithstanding the additional workload that inevitably results from having less manpower available. He credits the people he’s worked with throughout his career—including several fantastic mentors—with helping him become a successful attorney.

“Find people you like working with, and work with them as much as possible,” he advises.

Having recently watched his son, a high school sophomore, start thinking about career paths, Brian appreciates the winding road his career took, which allowed him to blend his interests in science and law while embracing new challenges. Although his path wasn’t always straightforward, Brian’s career reflects his commitment to transparency, hard work, and a passion for innovation that continues to fuel Supernal’s progress in electric aircraft.

Examining his career

Although Brian began his career as a patent examiner, the law wasn’t initially on his radar. He declared a physics major at the start of his undergraduate education, much to his parents’ surprise at the time. While his physics education was extremely fulfilling and something he has drawn on nearly every day of his career, he did not want to pursue a doctorate and enter academia, a path many of his peers pursued. Instead, he took a job as a patent examiner, requiring a technical degree, giving him a rare chance to combine his love for science with a new skill set in IP and the law.

For nearly three years, he examined patent applications filed by others on behalf of the United States Patent & Trademark Office, often collaborating with attorneys to negotiate patent rights. This experience inspired him to attend law school in the evening while working full-time as a patent agent for four years.

After completing law school, Brian developed a well-rounded IP practice working at law firms Howrey LLP, Mayer Brown LLP, and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher before making the in-house jump to Supernal.