With entire workforces laid off, factories and offices closed, and city streets practically deserted, it is clear that the Coronavirus (Covid-19) is having a crippling impact on the world economy. The draconian measures many countries have adopted to curb the spread of the virus have naturally led to a stark fall in economic output. With…
What is Intellectual Property (IP)?
When we think about IP we generally think it refers to something that somebody owns but that you can’t see. IP is an intangible thing, a creation of the mind, of the intellect. It is protected by law in the form of patents, trademarks, designs and copyright enabling the owner to benefit financially from their…
Inventors & Product Designers Wanted
Are you an inventor in need of a little inspiration? Or perhaps you are looking for advice on product development or IP rights? Then look no further as we have the seminar that will get you creating again. Our monthly seminars, held at The British Library in collaboration with product design agency Bang Creations will…
Why the EPO does not accept AI as an Inventor
The European Patent Office has recently published its decision as to why two European patent applications were refused, on the grounds that the inventor in each case was an AI creation, a machine, and not an actual person. The machine, called “DABUS”, was named as the inventor in the patent application. See the full article…
Prince Harry’s Right Royal Trademark Fiasco
In this age of celebrity endorsed products and lucrative licensing deals we are familiar with the rich and famous stamping their ‘identity’ into trademarks covering everything from perfume to pasta sauce and kitchenware to luxury watches. Lately however, this kind of intellectual property has taken a very royal turn and it seemed an opportune moment…
Inventions that rocketed out of the space race
As the world looks back 50 years to the first moon landing in 1969 and those iconic words uttered by Neil Armstrong: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” it is easy to be caught up in the sheer wonder and awe of this incredible Apollo 11 mission. But the stark…
Myth no. 5 – Registering a company name gives you the right to use it
Over the next few weeks we’ll be debunking five common myths relating to intellectual property (IP); here is the first in the series. Starting a new business and finding a name for your company is exciting, but probably less so is the process of registering your company name for tax and legal purposes at HMRC…
Client Case Study: Forest Whole Foods
Forest Whole Foods is on a mission: “to make organic, whole food affordable so people can build themselves and the next generation with honest, healthy food.” Their mantra is “to make a natural life accessible so that more people are eating real food and cooking from scratch.” Forest Whole Foods is an online organic food…
Client Case Study: The Pitch-Saver Sign
Client Case Study: The Pitch-Saver Sign As the owner of a motorhome who travelled regularly across the UK, Mike Jubb realised that the old-fashioned sign with a stake was not the best solution to reserving a pitch for his motorhome, especially on a hardstanding. Mike came up with the idea of using a durable, plastic…
The Lowdown on Copyright
The history of copyright in the UK dates back to the 16th century when an author had to register a book he had finished writing with The Stationers Company which gave him sole permission to reproduce the book thereafter. This form of protection was available for the next 200 years. Acts of Parliament were later…