Other, more disruptive, forms of registered IP protection, such as patents, registered designs and registered trade marks, have to be applied for and granted before the creation can be fully protected.
Obtaining registered IP protection is not a “rubber-stamping exercise”, and UK Intellectual Property Office data suggests only around 1 in 20 patent applications that are filed without the help of an IP professional are eventually granted.
It is therefore crucial at the outset that you consider the size of the market to determine if it is worth protecting and capitalising upon your innovative products or processes. If you have concluded there is a business case to justify a patent filing, then please do get in touch so that we can discuss the filing and application procedure and the likely challenges ahead, and see what can be done to protect the innovation within a realistic budget.
To keep the initial filing costs down, we sometimes recommend the filing of a “provisional” patent application. This filing strategy is really aimed at entrepreneurs and microbusinesses who are looking to get a patent application filed as economically as possible, so that they can safely speak to potential collaborators/investors/manufacturers/customers with a “patent pending” before incurring further costs.
The key to starting the patenting process on a budget is to understand the projected future costs and deadlines, so that you can lay the groundwork without investing recklessly.
