Harnessing IP: strategies for SMEs

New brands and new designs spring up almost on a daily basis in the market. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are a driving force behind these innovations. SMEs represent 90 percent of enterprises in most countries. Despite their importance to the economy and the potential offered by the IP system for enhancing SMEs’ competitiveness, SMEs often underutilise the IP system, and their creative and innovative capacity is not always fully exploited.