Having the right type of intellectual property (IP) protection helps you to stop people stealing or copying the names of your products or brands, your inventions, the design or look of your products, and things you write, make or produce.
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is the official UK government body responsible for intellectual property (IP) rights including patents, designs, trademarks, and copyright.
As part of the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS), they’re responsible for the role of intellectual property rights in supporting innovation.
Visit the Intellectual Property Office website to find out how to get intellectual protection, how to manage it, intellectual property aboard and intellectual property crime.
Protecting your intellectual property
A variety of services can help you understand intellectual property protection.
GOV.UK has advice on patents, design right, copyright, registered designs, trademarks, protecting intellectual property.
Wessex Region of Technologists and Inventors is an innovation club meeting at Southampton Institute. Members register as students to access the Institute’s facilities, including library and workshops.
Portsmouth Central Library is part of the Patent Information Centres, also known as the Patent Libraries (PatLibs) – an alliance of UK libraries providing information on intellectual property rights. For more information, call 023 9268 8044.