AWA
The EPO improving timeliness and granting patents at a record level
By AWA | Posted on March 20, 2017
After having a brief look at the statistics in the EPO (European Patent Office) annual report of 2016, which was recently published, it was clear that something had happened. During 2016, almost 96 000 patents were granted, which is a massive 40% increase in comparison to 2015. The number of patent applications filed in 2016 were...
Filed under: Insights
Tags: EPO, European patents
Final meeting of the Preparatory Committee signals pending start of UPC
By AWA | Posted on March 17, 2017
On 15 March 2017, the UPC Preparatory Committee hopefully met for the last time before the start of the provisional application phase. During the meeting, the Committee agreed on a final suite of legal, HR and financial documents as well as coming to a decision regarding the state of readiness for a provisional application. The...
Filed under: Insights
Tags: UPC
Strategy in Focus – Part 1
By AWA | Posted on March 17, 2017
In this series of blog posts called “Strategy in Focus”, AWA Strategy explores the topics of IP strategy, infrastructure and management. For the premiere, we look into the purpose of implementing an IP strategy and how it ties together with infrastructure and portfolio management. IP for Creating and Maintaining Competitive Advantages For a firm to...
Filed under: Insights
Tags: IP strategy
Kalle Sax: One to watch
By AWA | Posted on March 1, 2017
There is always time to follow your dreams. After facing redundancy, Swedish entrepreneur Kalle Sax decided to become a professional watchmaker and turn his into reality. Spurred on by a life-long fascination for technology and mechanics, Kalle became interested in watches as a teenager. He gained further insight into its complex mechanics when he worked...
Filed under: Interviews
Tags: entrepreneur, IP, startup
Rapunzel of Sweden: What’s in a name?
By AWA | Posted on March 1, 2017
When Ida Backlund started her own business selling hair extensions online, she soon realised the impact of a name and the importance of protecting it. “My mother had read me the story about Rapunzel and it was a perfect fit for my budding enterprise,” says Ida. A fairytale She had originally registered her business as...
Family run company defies odds to beat dairy giant in inspirational trademark case
By AWA | Posted on February 28, 2017
David vs. Goliath: Small, family-run company Yogiboost’s fight for justice after being sued for trademark infringement by dairy giant Arla. We speak to Yogiboost’s legal representative Kristina Fredlund, European Trademark Attorney at Awapatent It has been an entrepreneurial fairytale for the Englers. Self-proclaimed ‘ice cream fanatics’, Ludvik Engler Georgsson and Birgit Engler together with their...
New UK intellectual property minister reaffirms UK commitment to the Unified Patent Court
By AWA | Posted on February 1, 2017
There is a new sheriff in town. Jo Jonson takes over from Baroness Neville Rolfe as UK Intellectual Property minister. He was appointed new minister on 11 January. Baroness Neville Rolfe has previously made some promising statements concerning the UK’s intentions to ratify the agreement on a unified patent court (UPC). Jo Johnson has now...
BEPS from an IP perspective
By AWA | Posted on January 24, 2017
Part 1 – Introduction to BEPS for IP professionals The focus on IP related issues is becoming increasingly more relevant as our economy is changing to become more digital and knowledge based. More are realising the potential of their intangibles and what commercial gains can be won if managed properly. The possible threats and costly...
Filed under: Insights
Danish designer barred from using own name as trademark
By AWA | Posted on December 22, 2016
About a year ago the Danish Commercial and Maritime Court gave their decision in a case between Topbrands and the Danish designer Benedikte Utzon. You can read about it here. In short, the court found that Benedikte Utzon could no longer use her name as a trademark in any commercial activities within jewellery, leather goods...
Tags: awapatent, Trademark
Spotlight on the IP strategy
By AWA | Posted on December 2, 2016
Heliospectra’s IP strategy is an important part of the company’s work and has been since the company was founded in 2006. Just a year later Heliospectra applied for its first patent. The company prepared an IP strategy at an early stage and the Board of Directors helped with its development. The strategy is important from...
Filed under: Interviews
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