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Two salesman, a start-up company and the greatest medical invention of all time
The history of the now commonplace device is a rich tapestry of scientific minds, a desire to explore the unknown and relieve human suffering, an architect, and a drunken dog. But it was two salesman and a start-up company that made the greatest medical invention of all time accessible to the masses and paved the way for vaccination programmes, like the one we see in the fight against Covid-19 today, to be rolled out in large scales.
Inventions that changed the world – SME edition
Entrepreneurs and small businesses play a critical role in the economy and this year World Intellectual Property Day focus’ on how they can use intellectual property (IP) rights to build “stronger, more competitive and resilient businesses.” Some of the world’s best-known inventions and brands are the products of inventors and entrepreneurs who were savvy enough to protect their ideas. This week, to mark World IP Day we’ll be looking at five of our favourites, beginning with Thomas Edison.
How do you send a caterpillar 100 feet in the air?
The case of Colin the Caterpillar vs. Cuthbert the Caterpillar has caught the media’s attention. In case you have been cocooned away and missed it, on 15th April 2021, Marks and Spencer (M&S) launched high court proceedings in the UK against discount supermarket, Aldi, alleging trade mark infringement and passing off. The thing everyone wants to know now is whether the case has legs.
When brand development can be a warzone it's vital that every General has a battle plan
Every day, businesses across the globe invest significant sums of money in building brands and launching products that have shaky foundations. Often, entrepreneurs and business owners are unaware of the risks until they find shots are being fired at them. Large companies are often willing to take on the fight since they have the necessary resources, but for some small businesses with less resources it can be a fight for their life…
Let it go!
Keeping an IP budget afloat despite sunk costs. The cost of securing IP can be heavily front loaded. Examples of such costs include patent drafting, pre-filing searches, filing fees, etc. These costs become “sunk” costs in that they cannot be recovered. Because IP protection can be a relatively long process, at any time during the process there are likely to be significant “prospective” costs: future costs that may be wholly or partially avoided depending on actions taken.
UKIPO ending temporary fee changes on 31 March 2021
The UK Intellectual Property Office (UK IPO) temporarily reduced or removed certain official fees associated with patents, trade marks and registered designs because of the disruption caused by the Coronavirus pandemic. However, the temporary fee changes are set to end on 31 March 2021.
Insurance for IP Litigation Costs
If you own any intellectual property (IP) rights, are you concerned about your exposure to litigation, and how you will finance any legal action? One way to address this concern is by means of an insurance policy.
Does owning IP rights improve economic performance?
A recent study performed by the European Patent Office (EPO) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has shown that companies which own at least one patent, trade mark or registered design generate on average 20% higher revenues per employee and pay their staff on average 19% higher wages compared to companies that do not own any of these intellectual property (IP) rights.