Whatever the reason for protecting innovation, there’s one overriding consideration.

How will it help a business to achieve its goals?

Because if it turns out the two aren’t aligned, where’s the value in doing so?

The starting point is to identify how the intellectual property in question can best help that business realise its commercial objectives.

So, should we be considering this through the prism of purpose, not process, deploying IP protection to get the best out of innovation, with defence being just one part of the equation?

Isn’t having a patent, a registered design, a trade mark, about gaining a positive impact on the bottom line, building trust, fortifying the growth pipeline, improving the value of the business?

But there’s a further question. At a time when the window of opportunity for innovation can be short, how do companies balance the need to protect their intellectual property against getting to market as quickly as possible?

In a series of papers, commissioned by ipconsult, beginning later this autumn and culminating next year in a digital book, the founders, owners, and directors of innovative companies will be sharing their thoughts.

Their views, from face-to-face interviews, will address their actual experiences, challenges, hopes and aspirations in their own words, from their perspective.