Don’t leave money on the table: protecting and monetising your innovation

Engineering SMEs often create valuable innovation long before they recognise it as intellectual property. This workshop will explain why early IP protection matters, how unprotected ideas can be copied or lose commercial value, and what counts as risky public disclosure — from pitch decks and investor conversations to trade shows, websites and technical papers. We will cover when to act, how to spot potentially patentable technical ideas, and how patents, know-how, designs and confidentiality can support funding, collaboration, licensing and growth. The focus is practical: aligning IP decisions with your commercial goals so innovation becomes a defensible, investable asset.