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Start-ups & SMEs

For many start-ups and SMEs, intellectual property is an important asset with strong ties to the performance of the organisation. In fact, studies* have shown that SMEs that own patents, trade marks and designs have revenue per employee that is double that of their competitors without any IP rights.

For start-ups and SMEs seeking funding to support their growth, holding strong IP rights and having a clear and focused IP strategy will often be key considerations in any due diligence investigations carried out by potential investors.

How we can assist

Madderns can help you develop an IP strategy that suits the objectives of your organisation and which includes:

  • Processes to assist in the identification of IP assets (whether they be “old” or newly-created);
  • Ensure that the IP is owned by your organisation;
  • The possible “capture” of that IP in one or more forms of registered IP rights (eg patents, trade marks and designs); and
  • The ongoing management of the strategy and IP portfolio.

Never fear if you have little or no previous experience with IP, the Madderns team has assisted many start-ups and SMEs navigate their way through the IP landscape and is adept at explaining the IP systems and its pros and cons at an appropriate level.

Apart from assisting with the development of an IP strategy, Madderns can also help your start-up or SME with IP searching and advice where we work with external IP searching specialists on your behalf to design searches to uncover issues which may present significant hurdles to the valid protection and/or exploitation of IP, including:

  • Patent validity searching – searching and advisory services to assess the requisite novelty of an invention over what has already been publicly published (known as the “prior art”);
  • Patent freedom to operate (FTO) searching – searching and advisory services in respect of third party rights that might be infringed by the exploitation of your IP (even if your organisation is able to obtain its own patent rights); and
  • Trade Mark searching – searching and advisory services to determine whether, for example, a newly-created brand is available for use and registration;

And, of course:

  • Filing of new IP applications (e.g. applications for patents, trade marks and designs), both in Australia and overseas as required, and progressing those applications through examination (where we may need to provide advice or craft arguments and/or amendments to overcome any objections of an Examiner) to the grant/registration stage.

Madderns provides a comprehensive range of services spanning the entire intellectual property lifecycle. Given the comprehensive technical and intellectual property expertise of our team of specialist trade mark attorneys and patent attorneys we are sure to have an attorney to match your particular needs.

Have you had a lightbulb moment about a potentially new product, service or brand? Is your idea life-changing? And not just for you?