What use are patents to my startup / SME?
A patent provides an exclusive right, for a limited period of time, that can be used to prevent others from making, using, importing, or selling products and/or carrying out processes covered by the patent. This is all well and good for a multinational corporation that has the means to police their patents and sue infringers, but where is the value for smaller innovative companies, such as startups or SMEs, which are unlikely to have the resources to do that? Obtaining patent protection can be expensive and uncertain, so what’s the point?