Ben Dempster M.A. (Cambridge University) Metallurgy and Materials Science Chartered Patent Attorney European Patent Attorney Partner, Withers & Rogers LLP

The Materials Entrepreneur Intellectual Property

Types of Intellectual Property IP Patents Utility Models Registered Designs Design Right Plant varieties Copyright Know How Common Law Trade Marks Registered Trade Marks

Patents

Protect inventions. Monopoly right awarded by the state to encourage innovation. Not a right to do anything - a right to stop others.

Invention Must Be New An invention is new if it has not been made available to the public by written or oral description, by use or in any other way. –third party disclosures –you - must keep secret USA is exception - one year grace period for disclosures by the inventor.

International Convention International (Paris) Convention - Priority period: one year - patents

Patents for the Same Invention First to file First to invent - USA

Patent? Patent it Keep it secret Decide to publish - open innovation

Your patent attorney needs... the concept why it is better than what has gone before/what problem has been solved. an example of how to do it how might others, especially competitors, do it meeting to discuss, preferably notes beforehand.

Strategy - Business Objective Manufacturing and growth Sell the business License your technology Joint venture/cross licence

Case Studies

Manufacturing

Dragon Plastics Based in Wales Plastic screw caps and closures Searches to identify technology gap Invented one piece child resistant cap and patented it New market opened up, premium pricing Used as springboard to expand into other premium markets e.g. closures for cosmetics containers.

Peter Savage Ltd Manhole covers and gully gratings New market sector Searches Design around Protect and launch

Sell the Business

Europackaging Started in 1960's supplying Birmingham grocers with paper bags Sold in 2007 for £200m A key ingredient for success = protection around plastic carrier bag dispensers

Profile Therapeutics Make nebulisers for administering drugs for asthma Invented and patented new faster system to administer wider range of drugs Floated on LSE to raise the money to invest to bring to market Now acquired by major US corporation

License Your Technology

IBM - $3 billion in patent licence revenue each year

ARM Founded 1985 to design RISC processors First licence granted in 1990 to VLSI Floated on LSE in billionth processor shipped in 2008 Revenue of £260m Market value £1.15bn And they don't even manufacture!

Dynamic Cassette International Ltd

Maurice Goymer

Royalty per container Lump sum and smaller royalty Lump sum only

Sandvik Osprey Ltd and Sapa Heat Transfer AB Sandvik Osprey - powders and spray forming Sapa - brazing material Patented in over 50 countries worldwide

Patents are commercial tools which can be used by the materials entrepreneur to add value and make money How will you use your patents?

Thank you Ben Dempster