SMEs & IP Experiences in Wales Andrew Beale Director, IP Wales®

“Wales is a clever country. Let us capture this inventive talent and use it to create a new knowledge economy for the Region.” The Welsh economy has a heavy reliance on SMEs. (In 2002 SMEs accounted for all but 130 of the total of 71,870 enterprises registered for value added tax purposes). Role of IP Wales to: Help SMEs understand IP assets Help SMEs protect their IP assets Help SMEs commercialise their IP assets Andrew Davies AM (Welsh Assembly Government) Dragon Economy – making a difference through regional funding

Understanding IP assets Free Online IP Guide Over 2000 SMEs have accessed our on-line IP Guide responding to our promotional message that IP assets can be used to protect and/or add value to their business. Motivation for contacting IP Wales®: 39% patents, 25% general IP, 15% trade marks, 12% copyright, 6% licensing, 3% designs. Since the expiry of our European funding the continuation of this service has been financed by the Welsh Assembly Government

Understanding IP assets Fourteen UK PATLIBs Only PATLIB in Wales Only UK PATLIB based in HE Since the expiry of our European funding the continuation of this service has been financed by the Welsh Assembly Government

Protecting IP assets IP Wales has supported a total of 162 SME projects from 109 Welsh SMEs helping them to acquire the following assets via 50% grants: Projects Patents Trade Marks Designs Total Since the expiry of our European funding this service is now provided by the Welsh Assembly Government

Patents UK53 PCT45 EP34 USA31 Canada10 Australia5 Germany4 China2 France2 Italy2 Japan2 New Zealand2 Norway2 Poland2 Spain2 Brazil1 Hong Kong1 India1 Ireland1 Israel1 Singapore1 South Africa1 Total205

Commercialising IP assets 1.IP is seen as crucial for company growth 2.Validity of IP therefore very important © QED Intellectual Property, 2003

Commercialising IP assets Patents and product life cycle well aligned for the most part © QED Intellectual Property, 2003

Commercialising IP assets 1.Little formal IP planning 2.External help useful © QED Intellectual Property, 2003

Conclusion Main ingredients for the success of a SME knowledge based business are management, finance and access to advanced technology & know-how. Finance looks for good management teams, poor management teams rarely find finance. A better management team will make more commercial use of a poorer technology than a poorer management team will make of a better technology.

Information on other IP projects from around the World can be found by visiting the SME Division’s web site: