WIPO Forum 2008

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales

September 10th – 11th 2008

Dr Brian More –Coventry University

Business Support Services

The region and its industrial significance

• 5.27 million people• 9% of UK population• more than half in cities• 20.4% in the manufacturing sector• 32,000 listed buildings• 5 areas of outstanding beauty• 13 Universities/HE Colleges

Source: GOWM

At the heart of Innovation since 1700

Patent Activity

Patent Applications per Million Inhabitants (2005)

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The West Midlands has the 3rd lowest R&D expenditure of the English regions

Trademark Activity

Trade Mark Applications per Million Inhabitants (2005)

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There was a 30% reduction in design applications 2004 to 2005

Barriers to SME IP Activity

1. Cost – Both direct fees and opportunity costs

2. Value for money

3. Complexity

4. Time

5. Need for secrecy

6. Difficulty in enforcing IP rights

Still the case since the mid 1900’s

Targeted SME Support

West Midlands IP Forum – Fillip

• Funded by the RDA – Advantage West Midlands• Managed by Coventry University Enterprises Ltd• Remit

– To raise awareness of IP– To form a Forum of IP Professionals in the West Midlands to

provide businesses with a one stop shop for IP– To establish a website for IP Resources– Managed Grant Funding for IP related work

Achievements

In the West Midlands Fillip has:

• Engaged with 327 individuals• Engaged with 305 businesses• Held 12 events• Managed a competition to win IP funding; providing

£149,500 of funding to small and medium sized businesses

Fillip Awards

Fillip Awards Process

– 63 applications received for national and international patent and trade mark registration, legal support and commercialisation

– eleven stage one winners– Applications judged by an independent panel– Intervention rate 90%, £4,500 grant, £500 company

– Five of the eleven stage one winners received up to £20k in additional stage two funding

– Intervention rate 80%, £20,000 grant, £5,000 company

Diversity and Business RequirementsCompetition Winners

• Bayport Medical Medical – Rehabilitation product

• Diesel International Automotive Fuelling device

• Fingerpin – Software development- authentication product

• Forensic pathways ICT & Manufacturing- management of information

• Hyfinity Computer software –enterprise applications

• Junkk.com Environment - reusable seal

• Makmarine Leisure Industry – Jet ski

• Nailseal Construction industry improved performance & productivity of nail guns

• Oneswitch Environmental electronics – energy saving device

• Piezotag Automotive - Sensors

• Surface Processing Metal Processing – processing in the motor industry

Case study 1 Mak Marine

“The Fillip grant has enabled Mak Marine to under pin core IP value” (Simon McLoughlin, MD of Mak Marine)

The grant was used in international patent and trade mark applications in order to build a strong and defensible world-wide brand

Case study 2 Surface Processing Limited

“I'd not realised how important patent protection was for our company until we started licence negotiation, suddenly we were taken seriously by all concerned” (Adrian McMurray, MD of SPL)

The grant was used for extending the TM to CTM, international patent application, drafting and negotiating a license agreement .

Case study 3 Junkk.com

“'The IP has provided the backbone around which all else has been built' (Peter Martin, MD of Junkk.com)

Martin's routes to market are now clearer...............the route he now favours is going directly to the caps and closure packaging manufacturers and striking a licensing deal there

Breaking into new markets with the RE:tie

The future of Fillip

1. Proposed company limited by guarantee

2. Subscription from IP professional companies and SME’s

3. Extend the network to cover other legal and commercial professions

4. Training , education and networking event organisation

5. Investigate further funding from DG Enterprise EU FP7 Project

6. Annual award for IP and innovation in SMEs

Stage a prestigious event to disseminate all the case study companies

Covers aspects of IP use in business, including raising finance

November 11th at West Bromwich Albion Football ground

Member Companies

• Anthony Collins Solicitors

• AutoGlobal Business Network Ltd

• Barker Brettell LLP

• Browne Jacobson

• Chapman Molony

• Coller IP Management

• Forresters

• Leaman Browne

• Marks & Clerk

• Martineau Johnson

• MS Research & Consulting

• Roome Associates

• Swindell & Pearson

• Varley Hibbs

• Wilson Gunn

• Withers & Rogers

• Wright Hassall LLP

Contacting the Fillip Network

Contact Details

www.fillip.org.uk

Corinne Edwards -07974 984350Email - Corinne.edwards@coventry.ac.uk

Thank you for listening – Fillip would like you to become a member