Essex Innovation Network
What is the Essex Innovation Network?
Innovation – the successful commercialisation of new ideas – is vital if we are to see our economy grow stronger and witness the emergence of a new generation of businesses able to compete in the international marketplace. The Essex Innovation Network, therefore, is working to create the best possible environment within Essex, Thurrock and Southend, that allows both new and existing businesses to exploit to the full potential of their new ideas and creativity.
The Essex Innovation Network offers a range of support under two programmes, 'New Ideas', for entrepreneurs and startup's, & 'Developing Innovative Businesses' for early stage and existing businesses. To access more information on these programmes please click here; or alternatively contact Simon Maidment on 01245 702417 or simon.maidment@exdra.co.uk
Latest news about the work of the Essex Innovation Network and related activity around the region is contained below.
Unique, affordable patent protection for SMEs and start-ups
Date: 13 August 2008
New ideas are the life blood of business
An idea can turn a private individual into a business or transform a small business into a bigger one. But without patent protection none of this may happen.
Recent research* indicates that only about 11% of UK businesses use the patent system, compared to Japan and other innovative countries where the proportion is dramatically higher.
High costs associated with UK patent protection may explain why so few UK businesses use the patent system.
Historically there were just two patenting choices:
1. Pay a professional a high fee (perhaps several £000's plus patent office fees) to produce a patent specification
2. “Do-it-yourself” at very low cost to produce a patent specification hardly anyone will respect.
Now, there is a third choice:
Patent495 is an innovative online product that offers affordable patent protection for SMEs and start-ups.
The basic service which gets a patent application filed at the UK Patent Office within 15 days costs £495 + VAT. A priority service offering a filed application within 5 days costs £595 + VAT. In both cases you get professional edge at a cost not even approaching normal professional fees.
How it works
Once the selected service is paid for online using the highly secure PayPal payments service, the user can then access models and templates which provide all the information and guidance necessary for a lay person to describe his or her invention, with the relevant amount of detail.
Once completed, an experienced patent professional uses the information to produce the all-important Statement of Claim, which is the most crucial, difficult and time-consuming part of a patent specification.
After filing the user will receive an official filing certificate from the UK Patent Office showing the official filing date and the patent application number.
What you see is what you get
Patent495 is purely an online patent application filing service. If the user wants additional services or guidance then he/she will need to use the services of a conventional patent attorney. Patent495 is provided by PatentStart Ltd which is part of HLBBshaw, a UK-wide intellectual property firm. Users of Patent495 receive a £250 voucher which can be used to pay for any additional services if they choose to use HLBBshaw.
The Patent495 product and further information about PatentStart Ltd is available at: www.patent495.com
Further information about HLBBshaw can be found at: www.hlbbshaw.com
*Research carried out by PatentStart Ltd
