Insights

Change on climate and fast-tracking green innovations

By AWA | Posted on December 2, 2015

A while ago I wrote a blog post about being profitable and still doing good things for the climate. I believe that there are many inventors out there who have found really cool and smart solutions to many of the problems of today, for instance how to provide electricity to poor and rural locations, how...

Tags: climate-change, Dechezleprêtre, fast-tracking, green innovations, patents, recycling

The Unitary Patent takes an (inventive) step towards grant

By Love Koči | Posted on November 26, 2015

The Unitary Patent provides a new way for innovators and companies to protect their intellectual property in the EU. Currently, European patents are granted centrally by the European Patent Office (EPO), but result in a bundle of national patents which must be enforced on a country-by-country basis. In contrast, the Unitary Patent means that a...

Tags: EPO, renewal fee, unitary patent, UP

Copycats in China: The canary in the coalmine for foreign companies?

By Ai-Leen Lim | Posted on November 16, 2015

The recent media report concerning the “fake” Goldman Sachs in China has sparked another series of stories about counterfeits in China… but has it sparked a call to action yet? Throwbacks to the bogus Apple stores and the concocted IKEA shops both found in Kunming in 2011 come to mind. Whilst foreign companies are amazed...

Tougher measures on advertising in China (wef 1 September 2015): Caveat Vendor

By Ai-Leen Lim | Posted on November 10, 2015

The recent case of smart phone maker Xiaomi coming under investigation for misleading consumers through false advertising, is a cautionary tale for companies seeking to promote their products and services in China. The company was caught by the New Advertising Law in China, enacted on 1st September 2015, which clamps down on fictitious advertising. By...

Tags: AIC, anti-puffery, Caveat Vendor

Crowdsourcing or a maker – do you need to care about IP?

By AWA | Posted on October 30, 2015

In recent year’s crowdsourcing, i.e. inviting a community to take part in developing a new product or service has become increasingly popular. The instant feedback from the community allows for a rapid and agile development process, where everyone taking part in the development can feel great pride in the finished product. Simultaneously a movement called...

Tags: crowdfunding, Crowdsourcing, makerspaces

Unified Patent Court – one step closer to opening the Court

By AWA | Posted on October 26, 2015

On October 1 2015, a Protocol to the UPC Agreement was signed by first seven member states . It is open for signing by the remaining Signatory States of the UPC Agreement from this date. The aim of the Protocol is to allow for some provisions of the UPC Agreement to be applied early, i.e....

Tags: European patents, Patent, SPC, Supplementary Protection Certificates, unified patent court, UPC

Italy joins the unitary patent!

By Troels Peter Rørdam | Posted on October 22, 2015

On 30 September 2015, Italy joined the unitary patent. Italy will thus form part of both the unitary patent and the Unified Patent Court (UPC) upon entry into force. So reports the Commission of the EU here. Italy is the country in which the fourth largest number of European patents is validated. The Italian decision...

Tags: unified patent court, UPC

Global Innovation Index 2015: Switzerland, UK and Sweden at the top

By Love Koči | Posted on October 22, 2015

The recently issued Global Innovation Index (GII), which is co-published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Cornell University and INSEAD Business School, ranks the innovation performance of 141 countries and economies around the world based on 79 indicators. Published annually since 2007, the GII is used as a tool for policymakers, business leaders and...

Tags: GII, Global Innovation Index, WIPO

European patents can now be validated in Moldova

By Troels Peter Rørdam | Posted on October 15, 2015

On 1 November 2015 an agreement between the European Patent Office (EPO) and the State Agency on Intellectual Property of the Republic of Moldova allowing European patents to take legal effect in Moldova will enter in to force. Thereby, applicants with a European patent application will after this date be able to validate their granted...

Tags: European Patent Office, Moldova

Controversy behind Ms. Tu Youyou, the first Chinese female Noble Prize winner in Physiology or Medicine

By Linlin Zheng | Posted on October 9, 2015

The 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was announced on 5 October. It was rewarded with one half to Tu Youyou “for her discoveries concerning a novel therapy against Malaria” and the other half jointly to William C. Campbell and Satoshi Omura. “Chinese people wish to win Nobel Prize for long time,” said Professor...

Tags: artemisinin, Satoshi Omura, The 2015 Nobel Prize, Tu Youyou, William C. Campbell, WIPO