IP Business Moments
An IP management tool for every business lifecycle stage
Your intellectual property (IP) strategy should adapt to every stage of your business lifecycle, from the startup phase through working with buyers and investors. This tool walks you through key IP considerations to help you achieve your business goals.
More about IP
Intellectual property (IP) gives you control to decide who can do what with an invention, creation or brand. These rights vary in what they protect, for how long, and how strongly.
There are two types of IP, based on how strongly they protect your assets.
There are two types of IP, based on how strongly they protect your assets.
Copyrights and Trade secrets:
these rights do not provide protection against others independently developing the same creation or confidential information, but they do provide your business with the right to use and commercialize your assets.
these rights do not provide protection against others independently developing the same creation or confidential information, but they do provide your business with the right to use and commercialize your assets.
Industrial designs, Trademarks, Patents and Utility models are considered stronger, as they protect your IP assets even when others independently come up or develop the same invention, mechanism or design.
Most businesses use a mix of IP rights
Your business is made of a number of valuable intangible assets, which can be protected with IP. In most cases, businesses use a mix of IP rights to protect each intangible asset.
An invention
Patent, utility model or trade secret
A creative work
Copyright, industrial design
Brand name or logo
Trademark, copyright, industrial design
Some databases
Copyright, trade secret
Confidential information
Trade secret
A design
Industrial design, copyright, patent
A new plant variety
Plant variety protection, patent
Software
Copyright, patent, trade secret
IP Business Moments
1. Start
Develop an IP strategy for your business
2. Grow
Integrate IP into your business decisions
3. Manage
Plan your IP portfolio for disruption
4. Earn
Generate value from your IP
5. Accelerate
Work with investors and buyers
FAQs about IP
IP gives you control to decide who can do what with an invention, creation or brand.
These rights vary in what they protect, for how long, and how strongly.
There are two types of IP, based on how strongly they protect your assets.
- Copyrights and Trade secrets: these rights do not provide protection against others independently developing the same creation or confidential information, but they do provide your business with the right to use and commercialize your assets.
- Industrial designs, Trademarks, Patents and Utility models are considered stronger, as they protect your IP assets even when others independently come up or develop the same invention, mechanism or design.
These rights also vary in terms of how long they provide protection for. Depending on the jurisdiction, lifetime of different IP rights will be:
- Copyrights: creator’s life + approx. 50 years
- Trade secrets: as long as it’s kept secret
- Industrial designs: approx. 10 years
- Trademarks: initially 10 years then for as long as it’s used
- Patents and utility models: from 7 to 20 years
Align your business goals to an IP strategy that will strengthen your potential to grow and attract investors.
Some of your most valuable assets are what you create and what you invent. These can be protected through intellectual property (IP). Your business creates and uses IP every day.
Some of your most valuable assets are what you create and what you invent. These can be protected through intellectual property (IP). Your business creates and uses IP every day.
Intellectual property can deliver value to your business in a number of ways.
More specifically IP can:
- Enhance your competitive edge
- Build your reputation
- Secure market access and partners
- Be a source of competitive intelligence
- Create revenue streams
- Provide access to financing and attract investors
Failing to align your business goals to an IP strategy may bring some risks to your company:
- Others could gain market share, using the same strategy
- You might have to completely rework your offering
- You might have to pull your product from the market
- You could owe damages that hurt your business or even take you out of the market
- You could be forced to rebrand, costing time and money