All episodes

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,...

This episode elucidates how computer programs are protected as literary works and how user interfaces require originality for copyright. The text also explains the exclusive rights granted to copyright holders, such as reproduction and adaptation, alongside limitations like lawful use for error correction. Furthermore, it distinguishes between copyleft and permissive open-source licenses, highlighting both the benefits and inherent risks of utilising open-source solutions. Ultimately, the article underscores the importance of understanding these legal nuances for innovation and compliance in the digital age.

This episode explains the concept of patent white spots as untapped areas within technological and market landscapes, representing significant opportunities for innovation and competitive advantage. It outlines the methodical process of identifying and characterising these white spots through comprehensive market segmentation, data collection, and gap analysis. Furthermore, it highlights how patent information serves as a crucial data source for this analysis, enabling the mapping of patent landscapes and sparking new research and development ideas. This episode presents the AI-tool patentbutler.ai, as best a practice solution for efficiently conducting patent searches and precisely characterising these underserved areas, ultimately guiding businesses toward...

Til Martin Bussmann-Welsch, an expert in this area and co-founder of Anita, explains the journey of developing this technology, which began with analysing judge behaviour and pivoted to IP law due to the sector's openness to new technologies. A key distinction highlighted is Anita's focus on explainable and transparent AI to combat the issue of hallucinations prevalent in other large language models, ensuring reliability and trustworthiness for legal professionals. The conversation also explores the potential for digital transformation within the legal field, with Anita aiming to automate research activities and provide dependable data analysis.

This episode outlines how Lean IP applies principles from Lean Management, such as eliminating waste and optimising value, to create a more agile and cost-effective IP portfolio directly aligned with business objectives. Dr. Oliver Baldus's lecture and the Siemens case study illustrate this concept, showing how Siemens integrates IP management directly into its R&D and divisional strategies to ensure each IP asset contributes measurable commercial impact. The episode highlights Siemens's practices like proactive planning, granular portfolio management, and continuous evaluation across diverse sectors, ensuring IP protects high-value innovations and supports long-term growth rather than just accumulating patents. Ultimately, Lean IP...

In this episode of our Personal Growth series, we explore one of the most powerful yet underused strategies for IP professionals: referral marketing. Building on the trust and credibility you've already established, referrals allow you to grow your client base without cold outreach or heavy advertising.

You’ll learn what makes referral marketing work in a professional IP context, how to identify the right ambassadors for your brand, and how to position your expertise in a way that encourages sharing. We also discuss the importance of clarity, timing, and client satisfaction in creating a referral-friendly environment.

This episode provides hands-on guidance...

This third episode in our Personal Growth series—and part of the five-part Business Development video course—focuses on a critical but often overlooked skill: gathering and using market intelligence. For IP professionals aiming to position themselves strategically, understanding the dynamics of their target market is not a luxury—it’s a necessity.
In just under 15 minutes, this episode offers practical guidance on how to identify relevant trends, observe client behavior, and assess competitor strategies. These insights form the basis for better positioning, more tailored service offerings, and stronger client engagement. It’s about moving from guesswork to informed decision-making—so your growth strategy is...