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Why do intellectual property rights (IPR) matter?

SmartGroup was the first company granted a patent for wireless bike brakes in early 2021. This article explains why IPR is important and why it is crucial for our growth strategy.

SmartGroup was the first company awarded a patent for wireless bike brakes in early 2021. This article explains why IPR matters and why it is important for our growth strategy.

SmartGroup was the first company awarded a patent for wireless bike brakes in early 2021. Since then, we have received two additional patent grants for new technology applications for wheelchairs, walkers, strollers, and more. The patents cover unique features such as automatic parking brakes and locks, adjustable brake levers, and wireless follow brakes.

We develop our IPR portfolio and strategy in collaboration with leading international IPR consultancy firm, Meissner Bolte GmbHWith over 110 years of experience across a wide range of industries, their expertise in patents, trademarks, and design protection is invaluable.

This article explains why intellectual property rights (hereinafter IPR) matter and why they are important for our growth strategy.

"SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) that seek patents, trademarks, or designs are more likely to experience rapid growth and success than those that do not." Julian Crump, FICPI

Protection of Ideas

When you have an excellent idea for a product or service, there will always be people who want to replicate your success and sell your ideas as their own. Depending on individual circumstances, you can use patents, trademarks, or copyrights - all of which cover different areas of intellectual property rights. These can prevent competitors or anyone else from using your ideas for their own profit without your consent.

Bike brakes are quite universal as a product; therefore, IPR is important to us. We know that many players potentially stand to benefit from going electronic and wireless. IPR helps us stay one step ahead.

Global Competition

What sets a startup apart from the rest of the competitors is the shield of protection facilitated by its IPR that protects its brand, idea, innovation, and creativity. With increasingly global and transparent competition in most technology segments, IPR is essential to protect your value and market opportunities. It is important to remember that no one else will check if your intellectual property is being infringed; it is your responsibility to ensure that no one else uses your assets.

Licensing Strategy

Technology licensing agreements with industrial players are common to commercialize new technology. With a versatile platform technology, SmartGroup sees licensing as highly relevant and attractive to scale our business. IPR is a significant value driver in this business model, protecting both yourself and your business partner.

Under the Radar

A startup can use the IPR process itself to strengthen protection and stay under the radar, such as trade secrets or PCT patent applications. Such protection is important, especially for technology where development takes many years or is highly uncertain. It buys you time to complete innovation before the patent.

Value Creation

IP rights create a protective wrapper around an intangible asset - locking in value and making it tradable through licensing, pooling, securitization, or acquisition. Without IPRs, investments that companies make in developing new products and processes, or even just in developing new product ideas, are at risk. It's a bit like creating a beautiful garden without putting up a fence to keep the rabbits out.

Less than 9 percent of SMEs owned at least one main IP right (a patent, trademark, and design). In contrast to this, the figure is closer to 60 percent for larger companies.

In a report published by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in 2017, it states: "1/3 of the value of products traded globally comes from ‘intellectual capital’, such as brand building, design, and technology." Therefore, IP is a crucial asset and a comprehensive stimulus for investors. For startups, the importance of IPR as a value creator is even higher, probably up to 100% of the value.

M&A Tool

IPRs have evolved to become one of the most important assets in M&A deals. When you embark on your entrepreneurial journey, M&A may not be at the top of your priority list, but there is no doubt that it can lead to a highly lucrative and beneficial outcome. Furthermore, with the onset of globalization and rapid advancements in technological development, IP has become one of the crucial factors driving an M&A deal home.

IP acts as a significant negotiating leverage for startups to leverage the best deal possible when it comes to M&A. It gives the startup an unstoppable competitive advantage as IPRs contain the inherent uniqueness and creativity found within the company. A company's ability to create and maintain IP reflects the potential to become an attractive acquisition target for an investor.

Change the Playing Field

Finally, a less obvious reason to pursue IPR is the motivating effect on your team. IPR sharpens the focus within the group and helps change their mindset. At SmartGroup, we like to say that we fight above our weight class. Our IPR gives us a seat among the big companies around the table. To commercialize innovative technology in global markets, IPR can be the tool that takes you to the finish line.

If you want to learn more about our IPR, please contact: morten@smartgroup.no

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