Take care of the assets in your business

As an entrepreneur, it is important to know how the intangible assets are taken care of in your business. Consider the following when you make your intangible asset strategy.

  • Is a non-disclosure agreement used?
  • Ensure ownership, in particular through terms and conditions in agreements with other companies, consultants, licensees and other partners.
  • Ensure work instructions for key personnel, terms for non-employees, appropriate transfers of intangible assets and rights both internally within the organization and externally.
  • Capture and compile specific knowledge and other secret information.
  • Capture and compile non-registerable rights such as copyright or as yet unregistered trademarks.
  • Capture and compile data that strengthens the use of trademarks. This can be useful if you need to substantiate the use of the trademark in a possible dispute.
  • Capture and evaluate possible future intangible property rights such as inventions, design protection and trademarks.
  • How good is the prioritisation of intangible property rights in terms of the business plan?
  • Are there processes in place to ensure that you do not become guilty of infringement? This is particularly important in new projects, the introduction of new brands, the development and launch of a product or the initiation of a collaboration with others.
  • How high is awareness of the rights of competitors and others that is relevant to your business?
  • Take advice from experts on agreements relating to intangible assets and rights.
  • Is there a process for how different types of information are published? For example, a patent cannot be obtained if the invention has already been published. 
  • Maintain up-to-date information on holders, licensees and more in the databases of the relevant authorities.
  • What about labelling, for example by using the symbols ™, ® and ©?
  • How can you improve staff awareness of intangible assets? 
  • Regular follow-ups of intangible property rights and strategies. How long will the company's intangible property rights be in force?
The Swedish Patent and Registration Office