Beyond Patents: IP Protection For Agri-tech

Intellectual property (IP) rights are important for businesses and individual entrepreneurs across the agri-tech sector. While most innovative companies will be familiar with the protection available through the patent system, other IP rights can also be useful. These include design rights, trade marks and copyright.

What are design rights?

Design rights are available in most countries, but there are differences in the protection available and the registration requirements that can make the subject confusing and also lead to pitfalls for the unwary. Designs are sometimes known as industrial designs and in some countries, such as the US, they are called design patents.

In the UK, registered designs protect the appearance, shape or decoration of a product. They are relatively easy and inexpensive to obtain, as there is no substantive examination of applications ahead of registration (the official fee ranges from £50 for one design to £150 for up to 50). Once