A Patent Assertion Entity (PAE), often more commonly known as a “patent troll,” is a company that acquires overly broad patents to try and make money by threatening small businesses with lawsuits and collecting settlements. This project will examine how PAEs have negatively impacted innovation, the creation of small businesses, the economy, and stalling the ability for small businesses to succeed. More specifically, the data collected will be used to identify ways to end the abusive practices of PAEs.