Having been active in the growth of the environmental market over the last two decades, I am pleased to observe that IP is now starting to be taken seriously in the cleantech sector. The latest returns show that the rate of grant of clean energy patents has risen by 35% in the past few years and that $8.8 billion has now been invested in cleantech companies in Europe, Israel and North America. This trend looks set to continue.
We are therefore focusing this issue of our newsletter on clean technology. Each day there are new stories on green issues in the newspapers, as the impact of climate change increasingly affects many aspects of our lives. Such stories show how the theme of balancing the needs of the environment against the needs of economics and business has become an enormously important topic – particularly in these times of financial austerity but also of rapidly advancing climate change.
Currently though, there are still a large number of companies trading on unprotected know-how. This means that businesses find it difficult to sustain their activities or to secure the funding they require – and their futures are at risk from inadequate legal protection.
Those organisations that are able to develop clean technologies know that they not only need to help protect the environment, but that they also need to make a profit from their inventions and know-how in order to stay in business. Ensuring that their intellectual property is properly evaluated, protected and commercialised is a key part of this.
We are working with several such companies, and also with venture capitalists who invest in this area, to offer advice on how the relevant IP position can be improved prior to deals being finalized. We believe that more and more organisations will want to partner with companies who offer clean technology, and we are excited about the prospects for the ever evolving cleantech market.
We have tried, as always, to highlight some issues to think about. We hope you enjoy this edition, and we welcome feedback so please email your comments to us at Coller IP Management.
Jackie Maguire. CEO – February 2009
Focus on Cleantech
Cleantech covers a diverse range of topics, but recognition and understanding of the sector is growing. Even Wikipedia has an entry: cleantech is a term used to describe knowledge-based products or services that improve operational performance, productivity, or efficiency while reducing costs, inputs, energy consumption, waste, or pollution … more..
Climate Change – A Hot topic
Not a day goes by without an article on climate change in the national newspapers, covering many different aspects of the clean environment. Announcements on carbon emissions – one aspect of climate change – are coming thick and fast, encouraged by the most recent climate change bill, which became law on 26th November 2008. … more…
Clean Tech Funds
The number of investors in clean technology is growing fast. Click here for a useful list of some investors with funds focused on clean tech ...
Clean Tech Clients
Coller IP Management has a particular interest in clean technology. Here we feature some of our clients working in this sector. .. more…
Managing IP Launches Green IP Award
Managing Intellectual Property magazine has launched the green IP Awards to recognize a patented technology that aims to lower carbon emissions or otherwise help tackle climate change….. more…
Coller IP Management in the Press
The following links will take you to some recent press coverage of Coller IP Management:
The Institution of Engineering and Technology