Patentees are often surprised at how cheap and simple it is to file PCT national phase patents in Africa. Using GlobalIPCo, you can cover more than South Africa and Nigeria at a low cost – $399 for South Africa and $600 for Nigeria. For the most “bang for your buck” in Africa, we suggest filing … Read more
Sep 26th, 2014Before rushing to file a patent, inventors should first conduct an online worldwide patent search to confirm that their invention is “novel“. The databases are freely accessible, and easy to use. Step 1: Conduct an image search through the WIPO website In the WIPO search field, select “English Text” – this gives you the widest … Read more
Sep 23rd, 2014“Boom! Zoom! … it’s the big smashup! …” – the opening words of Louis-Ferdinand Céline’s Guigno’s Band explains this best. The OECD discussion documents published on 16 September 2014 will wreck most tax structures used by software developers. It is a body blow, head-butt and low-blow, wrapped in Theodora’s shroud and presented with a +1000 … Read more
Sep 19th, 2014The simplest way to pay South African patent renewals is to do so online. One option is to use our online worldwide patent renewal system. This system offers significant discounts on patent renewals. It also polices your patent by notifying you of newly published patents that may infringe your patent. The alternative option is to: … Read more
Sep 19th, 2014For years, we have warned against merely housing intellectual property (IP) in IP holding companies located in low tax jurisdictions. Our position has always been that merely parking IP in an offshore vehicle will not trigger any tax benefits. This principle has found clear expression in the 2014 Guidance on Transfer Pricing Aspects of Intangibles … Read more
Sep 18th, 2014Many inventors contact us for tips to draft and register their own patent. Tip 1: Use our DIY provisional patent toolkit This includes a template for drafting a provisional patent, and fillable patent forms for registering the DIY patent. Tip 2: Move beyond the benefits Most inventors get stuck on the benefits of their invention … Read more
Sep 10th, 2014Inventors often ask us for advice on raising funding for their invention. Up to the end of 2013, the answer was easy – approach SPII to fund prototyping. At that stage, SPII was the only option. The simple reason is that early stage technology is extremely risky – way too risky for the average private … Read more
Sep 10th, 2014Before deciding on your brand and rushing to the South African trademarks office to register and protect it, we suggest first doing some basic homework: Check that the co.za (and other relevant domains) are available. To do this, go to WebAfrica. Check the CIPC trademark records to confirm that no confusingly similar mark is already … Read more
Sep 9th, 2014This service has been suspended! If you have an idea you need to prototype, call us. We specialise in affordable prototyping. Our aim during the prototyping phase is not to design your product for manufacture. It is to determine whether your invention works and justifies further investment. Thereafter, should you wish to manufacture your product, … Read more
Sep 6th, 2014IdeaNav has extended their patent and design filing services to include trade mark registrations. Sara Spiro, joined us in August 2014 – she was previously employed as a trademark attorney at Bowman Gilfillan and Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs. As with our patent, design and prototyping services, our trade mark pricing is the lowest in the industry. … Read more
Sep 6th, 2014People do the strangest things to protect their idea. A few of the steps commonly taken are: Describing your invention in writing and posting the document to yourself by registered post. This is often described as the “poor man’s patent” or a “boere patent”. But, all you end up getting is a document in the … Read more
Sep 6th, 2014We do not patent the following ideas, because that would just be wrong: Recipes – a new formula for a low calorie or energy drink or a new topping for a pizza typically cannot be patented or protected by copyright. There is nothing inventive here. Anyone can make Coca Cola (Virgin, Pick ‘n Pay no … Read more
Sep 5th, 2014IdeaNav now offers product prototyping services through its new prototyping website IdeaPrototype. If you have an idea, come visit us to: protect your idea; create 3D drawings, photorealistic posters and movies of your invention; and rapid prototype your product. We will convert your idea into an alluring product designed to attract investors. Our product developer … Read more
Sep 4th, 2014Most ideas can be protected. New features can be protected by a patent; a new shape can be protected by a design; a written document / drawing / photograph can be protected against copying by copyright; and your brand can be protected by a trademark. Basically, if you can point to a feature on your … Read more
Sep 3rd, 2014Trademark attorneys are increasingly advising registration of 3D trade marks. Traditionally, if I designed a new soap dispenser, I would typically: (i) approach a patent attorney to identify new technical features that may be patented; (ii) discuss with my patent attorney filing design registrations to protecting the shape of my dispenser; and (iii) protect the … Read more
Sep 1st, 2014