Défi
Before appointing Barker Brettell as advisors, Aurrigo – a leading international provider of transport technology – had a robust trade secrets policy which worked well for the company. However, when Aurrigo was looking to attract investors to expand its business, Barker Brettell advised the company to review this strategy, bearing in mind that investors preferred to back companies where the funding is covered by patent protection.
Solution
Barker Brettell’s relationship with Aurrigo began with one of its highly experienced patent partners spending the day at the client’s headquarters. During the day, the patent partner presented on IP as a business asset, the filing criteria and rights provided by patents, and the monetary value of patents. Following the presentations, we proceeded to capture inventions for potential patent protection.
Résultat
The first patent application Barker Brettell drafted included many different inventions around one of Aurrigo’s key products. The strategy was to save on filing costs and defer prosecutions costs by including multiple inventions in the application. Barker Brettell has gone on to adopt this strategy in other patent applications it has drafted for the client. The first application has now led to granted rights in the UK, the US and Singapore,with a pending application in Europe and scope for further divisional applications.
Barker Brettell has, to date, drafted eight separate patent applications for the client. Most of these applications contain multiple, separable inventions, providing scope for protection in multiple jurisdictions as well as further divisional patent applications. Barker Brettell has also advised on trade secrets; the client maintains a ‘know-how’ record and the client is aware of the importance of confidentiality, including the correct use of NDAs.
Aurrigo a également sollicité les conseils de Barker Brettell concernant ses processus internes visant à maximiser la valeur de sa propriété intellectuelle. Ces conseils portaient notamment sur : l’organisation de réunions régulières consacrées à la gestion de la propriété intellectuelle afin de s’assurer que toute nouvelle invention soit correctement protégée ; la mise en place d’un service de veille sur les brevets pour identifier les autres acteurs déposant des brevets dans ce domaine et déterminer l’objet de ces brevets ; l’établissement d’un budget prévisionnel et d’un calendrier en matière de propriété intellectuelle afin de garantir l’allocation de fonds suffisants pour maintenir une protection adéquate ; la formalisation et la rédaction d’une politique écrite en matière de propriété intellectuelle pour s’assurer que les collaborateurs clés soient conscients de la nécessité de protéger la propriété intellectuelle et de son rôle dans la croissance de l’entreprise ; la mise en place d’une politique ou d’un système de recensement de la propriété intellectuelle afin de garantir que toute propriété intellectuelle soit correctement enregistrée ; et l’évaluation de l’intérêt éventuel du régime fiscal « patent box » ainsi que la vérification que Aurrigo tire pleinement parti du système de crédit d’impôt pour la recherche et le développement.
When Aurrigo launched on the AIM market in 2022, the business was valued at £20 million, with its patent portfolio and copyright in its software forming an important part of that value. In preparation for the flotation, Barker Brettell carried out an IP audit, helping the company meet the necessary requirements for listing.
Barker Brettell continue de conseiller Aurrigo en matière de propriété intellectuelle, et le client continue d'investir dans sa propriété intellectuelle.
“When the business launched on AIM in 2022, it was valued at £20m, with its software patents and copyright forming an important part of that value.”
