Posts by Vicki Strachan

Episode 1 Technology has advanced at an astounding rate in recent years, and innovation has continued to be prolific, resulting in huge numbers of patent applications being filed every year by innovators expecting to capitalise on their inventions. Not all patented products make it to the market. In fact, the US Patent and Trademark Office…

We explore the use of ‘alternative’ IP strategies that could provide crucial IP protection relatively quickly and protect your stocking filler without breaking the bank.

In a world where many retailers rely heavily on social media influencers to sell their products, one might be forgiven for thinking that ‘imitation’ is the new ‘inspiration’ in business, and there are certainly plenty of business profiting from the fact that consumers want to copy the style of someone they admire.  But that is…

What happened? In a nutshell, Pfizer filed a lawsuit against one of its long-time employees for stealing confidential documents, some of which relate to their COVID-19 vaccine, whilst preparing to leave to join a competitor.  That competitor, Xencor, is not named in the lawsuit and, in fact, it is not even clear whether the allegedly…

Patents – What are they? Patents protect products and processes that involve some technical, rather than purely aesthetic, innovation. If you have a patent for something, it gives you the right to stop others from making or selling something that is covered by the patent claims. Requirements for Patentability The main requirements for something to…

Introduction Surely not all of the energy we, as founders of successful SMEs, have expended, and continue to expend, on starting and growing our business, can be lost in heat and noise?  The scientist in me thinks not; but where is that energy conserved within our businesses?  Read on to find out if your intellectual…

Top tips for managing your IP strategically

Key advances in technology the last ten or more years has led to widespread availability and use of mobile phones, computers, and other personal electronic devices, all of which include graphical user interfaces (GUIs). Many businesses now rely on software packages or platforms to generate revenue, and these, too, include GUIs. If your product includes a…

Are you in the process of developing a new product, process or service? Have your thought about how you will protect your new venture from copying? Read on for for five common IP mistakes, and how to avoid them…