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SMEs & IP Experiences in Wales

Andrew BealeDirector, IP Wales®

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• “Wales is a clever country. Let us capture this inventive talent and use it to create a new knowledge economy for the Region.”

• The Welsh economy has a heavy reliance on SMEs. (In 2002 SMEs accounted for all but 130 of the total of 71,870 enterprises

registered for value added tax purposes).

• Role of IP Wales to:• Help SMEs understand IP assets• Help SMEs protect their IP assets• Help SMEs commercialise their IP assets

Andrew Davies AM (Welsh Assembly Government)

Dragon Economy – making a difference through regional funding

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Understanding IP assets

Free Online IP Guide

Over 2000 SMEs have accessed our on-line IP Guide responding to our promotional message that IP assets can be used to protect and/or add value to their business.

Motivation for contacting IP Wales®:

39% patents, 25% general IP, 15% trade marks, 12% copyright, 6% licensing, 3% designs.

Since the expiry of our European funding the continuation of this service has been financed by the Welsh Assembly Government

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Understanding IP assets

• Fourteen UK PATLIBs

• Only PATLIB in Wales

• Only UK PATLIB based in HE

Since the expiry of our European funding the continuation of this service has been financed by the Welsh Assembly Government

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Protecting IP assets

IP Wales has supported a total of 162 SME projects from 109 Welsh SMEs helping them to acquire the following assets via 50% grants:

Projects Patents Trade Marks Designs

Total 162 205 60 12

Since the expiry of our European funding this service is now provided by the Welsh Assembly Government

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Patents

UK 53PCT 45EP 34USA 31Canada 10Australia 5Germany 4China 2France 2Italy 2Japan 2

New Zealand 2Norway 2Poland 2Spain 2Brazil 1Hong Kong 1India 1Ireland 1Israel 1Singapore 1South Africa 1

Total 205

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Commercialising IP assets

1. IP is seen as crucial for company growth

2. Validity of IP therefore very important

© QED Intellectual Property, 2003

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Commercialising IP assets

Patents and product life cycle

well aligned for the most part

© QED Intellectual Property, 2003

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Commercialising IP assets

1. Little formal IP planning

2. External help useful

© QED Intellectual Property, 2003

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ConclusionConclusion

• Main ingredients for the success of a SME knowledge based business are management, finance and access to advanced technology & know-how.

• Finance looks for good management teams, poor management teams rarely find finance.

• A better management team will make more commercial use of a poorer technology than a poorer management team will make of a better technology.

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Information on other IP projects from around the World can be found by visiting the SME Division’s web site: www.wipo.int/sme