The Welsh Government and the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) have signed an agreement to support businesses in driving investment in creativity and innovation.

The agreement aims to provide targeted intellectual property support for Welsh businesses to boost economic growth.

Specifically, this forms part of the Welsh Government’s vision to create and nurture a vibrant innovation culture for a stronger, fairer, greener Wales as set out in the Wales Innovates strategy. 

The UK Intellectual Property Office is the government body responsible for protecting ideas, inventions and creative work. It grants patents for new inventions, registers trade marks and product designs, and provides guidance on copyright.

The IPO also helps businesses and individuals safeguard their intellectual property, crack down on counterfeiting and piracy, and advises on policies shaping the UK’s innovation and creative industries.

Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans said: "This agreement builds on the close relationship between Welsh Government and IPO and signals the start of a long-term collaborative partnership in order to deliver greater innovation impact.

"Understanding Intellectual Property and using that knowledge to make more informed decisions can be crucial for SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups.

"We want the creators, innovators and entrepreneurs of today and tomorrow to understand how they can better use IP to drive the business growth that will help deliver a prosperous future for Wales."

The IPO’s Enforcement, Business and International Director Natasha Chick said: "Understanding intellectual property and using that knowledge to make informed decisions is vitally important for all businesses - especially SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups.

"We are committed to working more closely with the Welsh Government to support innovative businesses in Wales to better recognise and manage their intellectual property. This will help them unlock their full potential and gives these businesses crucial tools to grow and succeed - which benefits us all."