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Advantages of innovation
Benefits of innovation in business can include efficiencies, growth and increased competitive advantage, as well as enhanced reputation
External research and development
How to outsource your research and development and the benefits of commissioning it externally
Managing the design process
Understand the steps you should take when trying to turn an idea into a product
Eliminating ideas that are not viable
Understanding when a product will not be viable is important to prevent wasting time and money
Exploring your ideas
How to innovate and develop your business ideas
Commercialisation options for your invention
Three straightforward ways of getting your invention to market: manufacture and sell yourself, license it or collaborate with another business
Science parks
Support and benefits of science parks, including technology transfer and business incubation
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
Start a sales forecasts
How to use last year's sales as a starting point for your forecast of next year's sales to help manage your business more effectively.
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
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
Avoid infringing other people's intellectual property
How to check that you are not infringing other people's intellectual property