London, Leeds & Exeter
Thu 5th Apr 2018
Video - ‘Can UK SMEs become leaders in innovation, research and development?’ Virginia Driver at iF Seminar
Services: Innovation capture, International reach, IP strategy, Patents
Sectors: Software patents
At this year’s iF seminar in London, Virginia Driver was one of a panel of three industry experts discussing the potential for UK SMEs to become leaders in innovation, research and development. The panel discussed a wide variety of topics, including entrepreneurship, patent protection and keys to success.
On the subject of patents, Virginia used Skype as an example of how patents can not only protect software innovation, but also add value to the business. When eBay bought Skype for $2.5 billion in 2005, they had three patent applications in progress. By the time Microsoft bought the company for the sum of $8.5 billion in 2011, they had written 300-400 patents.
Virginia acknowledges that while a number of factors could contribute to the rise in company value, it demonstrates a clear link between adding to a patent portfolio and increasing the value of your business through innovation.
She encourages entrepreneurs to consider the extent that a patent or a patent portfolio could add value to their business.
To find out if your innovation could benefit from a patent, speak to one of our IP lawyers today and arrange your free initial 30 minute consultation.
This briefing is for general information purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for legal advice relating to your particular circumstances. We can discuss specific issues and facts on an individual basis. Please note that the law may have changed since the day this was first published in April2018.
