Search results
Sources of advice and design information
Find advice and help to make your small business' design project a success
Funding for design projects
Find funding support for your design project to help improve processes, products or services
Training support for design
Find support for design training for your staff to help you carry out your design project successfully
Research and development - investment and risks
How to weigh up the possible risks of research and development against the potential benefits
What is a cartel?
An overview of how a cartel is defined by law and the penalties you and your business could face if it trades in one
Competition law
Understand how the Competition Act 1998 and the Enterprise Act 2002 affect your business
Price-fixing and other anti-competitive agreements
The law relating to price fixing and other agreements between businesses to restrict competition
What is research, design and development?
Stay ahead of competitors by carrying out quality research, design and development in your business
Managing the design process
Understand the steps you should take when trying to turn an idea into a product
Do I need international IP protection?
Determine if you should register your IP rights abroad or extend your protection to cover IP infringements overseas
Protecting trade marks abroad
How to register your trade marks in other countries and where to get help with registration
Protecting copyright abroad
Understand how copyright protection works overseas
Protecting designs abroad
Understand how to protect your designs in Europe and in overseas markets
Search for existing patents
How to carry out patent searches to find prior patents and ensure that you do not infringe the patent rights of another person or business
How to apply for a patent
Overview of the UK patent application process and step-by-step guidance on how to prepare patent application documents and apply to the UK Intellectual Property Office
Patent protection and enforcement
How to protect your patents from infringement and unlawful use, and your options for resolving patent disputes in and out of court
What is a trade mark?
What can be registered as a trade mark in the UK and the difference between acceptable and unacceptable trade marks
How to register a trade mark
An overview of the UK trade mark registration process - how to apply, how much it costs and what to expect when you apply
Protecting registered trade marks
How to protect you registered trade marks against misuse, counterfeiting and other infringement
How to search for trade marks
Carry out a trade mark clearance search to check the availability of a mark, or discover marks that are already in use