All episodes

Operational IP management is presented as a vital discipline for industrial companies facing today’s fast-paced and competitive markets. Unlike traditional IP approaches that focus mainly on legal aspects, this concept integrates IP decisions directly into daily business processes, product development, and corporate strategy. It stresses the importance of protecting inventions early to safeguard product features and reduce legal risks across the product lifecycle. The approach also recognises the challenge of managing large IP portfolios and calls for regular reviews and a strategic focus to ensure commercial value. By embedding IP considerations into operational workflows, companies can align innovation with protection,...

This sector, encompassing biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices, faces high development costs, long timelines, and significant risks when bringing innovations to market. Patents offer a limited-time monopoly, allowing companies to recoup massive research and development investments and fund future discoveries. This episode underscores how IP acts as the economic engine for this industry, encouraging innovation and attracting necessary investment.

Design rights protect the visual features of products, including shape, pattern, colour, and texture. They can apply to an entire product, specific parts, or fine details, depending on business strategy. Efficient options for registration include the EU’s Registered Community Design (RCD) and the Hague System for international coverage, offering cost-effective protection. To build a stronger framework, design rights are most effective when combined with other IP rights such as trademarks, patents, and copyrights, creating layered protection and reinforcing brand value. To qualify, a design must meet two essential criteria: novelty, meaning it has not been disclosed before, and individual character,...

This episode explains how optimising IP processes is essential for reducing risks, such as inadvertent infringement, and for enhancing the strategic use of IP assets, like through licensing opportunities. The episode further highlight how digital IP tools can significantly improve the efficiency of these processes, offering benefits such as centralised data management, improved cost tracking, insightful reporting, and consistent workflow management. Ultimately, Martin argues that proactive and streamlined IP management transforms IP from a mere legal concept into a dynamic business tool that drives innovation, secures market position, and fosters long-term growth and financial prosperity.

This episode offers a comprehensive guide to patent infringement, explaining what it entails, its significant economic and reputational implications for businesses, and the legal frameworks governing it, particularly in Europe with the Unified Patent Court (UPC). It strongly advocates for Freedom to Operate (FTO) searches as a critical proactive measure to mitigate risks by identifying potential existing patents that could hinder commercialisation. The episode outlines various strategies for managing identified risks, such as redesigning products or seeking licenses, and details potential defences against infringement claims and the relief granted in such cases. Ultimately, it emphasises the crucial role of a...

This episode offers a comprehensive guide to IP management for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups. It underscores that IP is a strategic asset, crucial for protecting innovations, gaining competitive advantages, and fostering growth. The episode highlights the necessity of a holistic approach to IP management and emphasises stakeholder collaboration across various departments, from Research & Development to Human Resources, and with external partners like law firms. It also outlines different levels of IP strategy (corporate, business unit, innovation) and approaches (offensive vs. defensive), while addressing common challenges in stakeholder management and offering solutions.

This episode offers a comprehensive overview of trade secrets as a crucial form of intellectual property for businesses. It summarises a lecture by Bertrand Denieul and Gil Perlberg, explaining both the legal and business definitions of trade secrets, highlighting their importance in providing a competitive edge. The episode details the broad scope of information that can qualify as a trade secret, from formulas and designs to customer lists and algorithms, and emphasises the necessity of implementing "reasonable measures" for their protection. It also discusses the risks and challenges associated with safeguarding these assets, particularly insider threats, and offers practical guidance...

This episode illuminates how IP, encompassing trademarks, copyrights, industrial designs, and trade secrets, is fundamental to various business strategies. It explains that IP is crucial for branding, establishing unique identities through protected logos and names, and for effective marketing, safeguarding promotional content and visual appeal. Furthermore, the episode clarifies how advertising leverages IP to protect slogans and creative assets, how packaging utilises IP to differentiate products aesthetically and functionally, and finally, how franchising agreements rely on IP for consistent brand representation and operational efficiency. It underscores that a comprehensive understanding of IP is vital for achieving sustainable business growth in...

This episode, drawing on a lecture by Dr. Shu-Pei Oei, outlines the essential aspects of managing IP risks for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) and startups. It explains that IP is a critical asset for these businesses, offering competitive advantages but also presenting various financial, reputational, and operational risks if not properly managed. The episode categorises these threats into internal and external risks, detailing types such as legal, administrative, infringement, third-party, emerging technology, and strategic risks. It further introduces a framework for risk management, including the "IP Risk Universe" model and the DIN 77006 standard, alongside practical strategies like building an IP-aware...

This episode explains that IP licensing is a strategic business tool allowing IP owners (licensors) to grant specific rights to another party (licensees) to use or commercialise their IP, typically in exchange for royalties. The episode explores the benefits and risks for both parties, detailing how licensors can expand market reach and generate revenue while licensees gain access to new technologies and reduce R&D costs. Furthermore, it outlines various types of IP suitable for licensing, such as patents, trademarks, design rights, trade secrets, and copyright, and discusses different levels of exclusivity for licences including non-exclusive, sole, and exclusive agreements. Finally,...