intelligent

Beyond the direct contribution to the financial value of a company , securing IP assets also has advantages that contribute to the success of start-ups – primarily surrounding innovation . IP-driven start-ups are more likely to create innovative products and services that can be patented , often addressing realworld problems that in turn are eligible for research and development funding .

Moreover , pursuing an effective IP strategy signals ambitious but shrewd vision to investors and partners , which will inspire confidence . It also provides greater awareness of competitors , which enables founders to both identify deficiencies that they can improve on and steer their own products and services into markets with less competition and a higher chance of success .

Lind continued : “ It doesn ’ t all have to come down to registering assets , there are significant rights attached to unregistered assets – such as know-how , trade secrets and copyright – but founders must know how to maintain suitable records of these unregistered rights in order to enforce them with any credibility . But their value should certainly not be underestimated . Even if they remain unregistered , many IP assets will remain critical to achieving a successful launch of a product or service .

“ Investing time and energy into understanding IP from the off will pay worthwhile dividends for founders in the long-term and we hope this guide will prove a useful resource for those who don ’ t know where to start but want to understand more .” �

EXPENDITURE ON IP SHOULD BE VIEWED AS AN INVESTMENT IN THE LONG- TERM FUTURE OF THE BUSINESS .