First Steps Towards World Domination
Worldwide IP filings are generally not affordable nor necessary for most businesses. Here are tips on how to choose your countries wisely. These tips apply to all IP rights including patents, design registrations, trade mark registrations and plant variety rights. Note that most IP rights can be used to stop others from manufacturing selling, importing and exporting relative a particular country - so these rights can be very powerful.
The answers to the following market questions can be determined from targeted IP searching in addition to classic market research. Some Government agencies fund country validation research which is helpful.
Where will you and your competitors manufacture?
Where do you and your competitors currently sell – or plan to sell?
What are the relative market sizes?
Likely scope of protection obtained per country (e.g. patent claim, goods & services)
Any recent IP law changes (e.g. AI as inventor)
Where any potential third party relationships may be based (e.g. licensees, distributors)
The resultant list of countries can then be ranked in order of importance. Reach out to your IP specialist to work with your marketing people to get a robust ranking.
Then get an estimate of ballpark filing costs and on-going from your IP specialist for each country.
Use your budget to decide your cut-off point on the list for filing applications. It can be hard to accept, but there will be many countries in which it is not feasible to file.
Of course, if your first steps towards world domination come to fruition, the next innovation may be more far-reaching.