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Support for protecting your ideas
Get professional help from intellectual property advisers, a patent attorney or a trade mark attorney to protect your intellectual property in an invention
Find manufacturers to build a prototype
Sources of information on product designers and manufacturers who can help you develop your invention
Support for product safety and testing
How to arrange product safety assessment, and where to find testing laboratories, services and product certification in the UK
Support for developing your ideas
Where to get help to develop new product ideas if you're looking to manufacture, market, sell or license your inventions
Business exit strategy: float your business on the stock market
Characteristics your business will need to attract venture capital investment or for a stock-market flotation.
Business exit strategy: close your business
Overview of the circumstances in which you may close your business and the practicalities of how to go about it.
IP rights: copyright
What is copyright, when does it apply, and how you can use it to protect your intellectual property
IP rights: trade marks
What are trade marks, and how to register trade marks to protect your brand, products or business
IP rights: designs
An overview of design as an intellectual property asset and advice on how to use unregistered and registered designs to secure your IP
IP rights: patents
What is a patent, how to apply for one, and how to use and enforce it to protect your business' intellectual property
Assess offers to buy your business
How to assess offers for your business and understand the implications of the deal structure.
Franchising options
Business format franchising, licensing, and agency and distribution agreements.
Managing your franchisees
Supporting and motivating your franchisees to grow sales and increase franchising fees.
Business exit strategy: selling your business
How to develop key business characteristics that will make selling your business to another business more likely.
Exit strategy: key considerations when starting a business
Overview of the key start-up decisions that could affect your ability to successfully exit your business.
Legal and financial checks when buying a business
Learn about the financial and legal checks you should make when considering buying a business.
Signing and completing the sale of a business
Details of the sale purchase contract and documentation, and the main tasks you must do to complete the sale.
Open data opportunities for business
What is open data, where to find open data in Northern Ireland, and how to make the most of its business opportunities.
Checklist: developing a product or service
Step-by-step list on how to develop new products or services, with a checklist of key things to consider before and during development
Get help with intellectual property protection
Advice, guidance and support with intellectual property issues for Northern Ireland businesses