BlackBerry’s Push to Expand Patent Licensing Faces Headwinds

BlackBerry Ltd.’s push to fund its transition to a cybersecurity business by increasing patent royalties from social media companies like Facebook Inc. is faltering.

A judge in California has invalidated a number of BlackBerry’s patents and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is reviewing others, undermining the storied Canadian tech company’s efforts to expand the licensing of its 37,000 patents.

Licensing and intellectual property made up 21% of BlackBerry’s $932 million in revenue last year. The company has completely switched to making money from software for cars, cybersecurity products and patent licensing after shutting down its once-dominant phone business ...