When a company dissolves and enters liquidation, its patents, trademarks and designs are assets that must be addressed. Transfers by a company in liquidation, acting as assignor, involve additional requirements and practical considerations.
As product competitiveness moves beyond technology to aesthetic value, design has now become a key business asset that influences the product's first impression, consumer choice, and brand image.
A growing business may license its brand to others or seek permission to use another company's brand. Trademark licensing provides the framework for these arrangements.
How a patent is used matters as much as obtaining it. A non-exclusive license may be relevant when a rights holder cannot manufacture a product itself or a business wishes to use another party's technology lawfully.
Patents, trademarks, designs and copyright are all forms of intellectual property, but they protect different subject matter. Understanding those differences is essential when deciding how to protect a business's assets.
Businesses entering international markets need to plan brand protection. Delays in securing trademark rights can expose even competitive products and services to counterfeiting, imitation and unauthorized use, particularly as online sales and cross-border distribution expand.
The aim is to develop a practical international patent strategy that reflects the company's commercial direction and target markets, alongside handling the applications.