Navigating the design to manufacture journey: Intellectual Property

Turning an idea into a scalable, commercial product is a challenge that faces many entrepreneurs, innovators and SMEs. Developing a new product, new functionality or new customer experience can be difficult, and the design to manufacture process must be given careful consideration to ensure that development costs and timelines are managed effectively.

Navigating this process can be daunting and good communication between stakeholders is vital. By understanding what designers and manufacturers care about, it will be easier to establish the good relationships and processes that will avoid costly, time consuming changes further along the development process.

The KTN manufacturing team in partnership with Product Design Scotland have curated and exciting and informative a lunchtime programme – join us each week for an opportunity to hear from representatives across the design to manufacture space. Experienced innovators and specialists will give their own perspectives on the challenges and important considerations that should inform early stage product development.

Grab a tea and a sandwich and join Abi Hird and Alastair McInroy each Wednesday for expert insights, stimulating debate and an opportunity to join our diverse and vibrant community collectively focused on navigating the design to manufacture journey.

What to expect

Our aim is to build community. Attendees are expected from across the innovation, consultancy and contract manufacturing space.

• Innovators – SMEs, spin-outs, academics
• Technology providers/systems integrators
• Design consultancies
• Contract manufacturers
• Investors

Each one-hour online meeting will include three presentations from thought leaders on a specific aspect of the design to manufacture journey. This will be followed by an interactive Q&A session and an opportunity to connect. Across the whole series we will be using meeting mojo to facilitate connections enabling relationships to flourish. Grab a coffee and come and join us!

This Week’s Intellectual Property Theme

IP can feel like a minefield! This topic has surfaced repeatedly in questions each week and is something we recognise innovators need to be better informed about if they are to make better decisions and get products to market.

We all want our ideas protected – when developing hardware products working with third parties is essential and as a start-up we only have so much clout. In this week’s instalment, we hear from three experts on how and why you might want to protect (or not protect!) you IP. This one is not to be missed!