You have had a lightbulb moment and are sure your idea for a consumer product or innovative technology is going to take the market by storm. But have you protected your intellectual property (IP) from the start? Not doing so could put a damper on your entrepreneurial plans or next product launch.
Writing for Business Leader, Megan Jefferies, partner and commercial litigator at Thrings, plays the role of innovator by day and solicitor by night. Setting out to invent self-heating gloves, she works through the stages of product development, showing readers of the business magazine when intellectual property needs to be protected.
Protecting an idea “from the word go” is important, she writes. While the tools to use “will depend on what is unique about the product or brand”, patents, design rights and trademarks should all be considered right from the start.
Keeping notes of meetings, brainstorms and designs at all stages of development will help prove ownership, if challenged.
From non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) during the development stage, to ensuring a product does not infringe others’ IP, tweaking designs during the testing phase, to making sure the product and brand continue to be protected in the EU post-Brexit – all this and more is covered in the full article.
To read Megan’s piece in Business Leader, please click here.
Thrings is proud to be sponsoring the Innovation & Technology category at the Business Leader Awards 2020.
To discuss protecting your innovations or brand, please get in touch Megan Jefferies.
