Intellectual Property (IP) refers to something that has been created that the law can protect as intangible assets: inventions, designs, confidential business information and brand identifiers, for example. Securing IP gives the owner exclusive legal rights to how these assets are used, preventing others from copying or exploiting them without permission.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) gives a broad overview about intelllectual property, covering:

• Patents – protects new inventions; how they work, what they do, how they do it, what they are made of and how they are made.
• Designs – protects the overall look of a product including the colour, shape, texture and material.
• Trade marks – protects brands, such as your business name or logo, and can consist of a word, phrase, picture or a combination of all these.
• Copyright – protects written, dramatic, musical and artistic works, including photos, recordings, software and databases.

There are a number of online tools available to help you identify and protect these rights.

IP Equip – A free, interactive online learning tool to help you identify assets which may be protected by IP rights. Made up of four modules on the main IP rights, it takes around an hour to complete and is also CPD accredited.

IP Health Check – A free online assessment of your business to help you identify and add value to your IP assets. Based on your answers to a series of simple questions, it provides a confidential report with advice on how to protect your IP.

Step By Step Intellectual Property Guide for Businesses – The IPO has a step-by-step guide to help business owners identify and protect any creative assets they may have built, such as their business name or logo, and the practical steps to take next. 

Knowledge Asset Hub – The Knowledge Asset Management (KAM) Hub is a resource created by the IPO to help research institutions and businesses identify, protect, manage and commercialise their intellectual property and wider knowledge assets. 

The KAM Hub brings together a set of practical tools and resources, including: 

The KAM Guide  - helping senior university leaders, knowledge exchange practitioners, academics, and researchers make informed strategic decisions about the use of their IP and knowledge assets. 

The KAM Toolkit - designed to help identify, manage and prioritise the challenges, risks and opportunities through the strategically managed IP and knowledge asset portfolio. 

Access the full suite of resources here.