How do Patents Act as an Incentive for Tech Innovation?

What are tech patents?

Experts at UpCounsel explain that: “Technology patents are those that give an inventor the legal right to his or her invention, whether it be a product, a design, or a process related to the technology sector”. Given that the major tech companies like Microsoft, Facebook, and Apple will file thousands every single year. 

This alone should show that tech patents, which usually last for 20 years, have a key role to play. Even as SMEs, their importance for inspiring innovation can be key.

Six reasons patents incentivize tech innovation

By now, you will be aware that innovation encourages increased profits. In fact, 62% of high-growth companies plan to invest in technologies that lead to higher rates of innovation. Utilizing patents plays a big role in the process. Here’s why:

1. Patents encourage increased ROIs

For businesses in all industries, every new concept will be scrutinized for its ability to boost the company’s bottom line. Research has shown that patents increase the financial returns of a technology by up to 50%. Meanwhile, technology is less likely to even hit the market if its patent application was rejected.

Patents can instantly boost a company’s confidence as it bids to navigate the market because it is statistically in a far stronger position.

2. Patents cover the full tech life cycle

When considering tech innovation, it’s imperative that you consider the full tech life cycle. Patenting is particularly important during the initial stages of Research & Development while it subsequently drives the project along in the Advanced Research & Development and Demonstration phases.

In turn, patents take ideas from theoretical concepts to the stage of market introduction while also laying the foundation for future marketing.

3. Patents encourage innovation from all team members

The best innovations are born from the minds of individuals who put their heart and soul into developing them, and patents are considered a recognition of the time and effort put into this development. As such, setting a patent application as a goal can inspire team members to engage and share ideas. Bottom-up innovation has supported countless companies like Swisscom, and tools like KICKBOX encourage intrapreneurship across an entire company.

Aside from actively promoting a company’s chance of unlocking the next big innovation, it goes a long way to cultivating the right company culture.

4. Patents support the idea of innovation at all times

The rready team believes that time for innovation should be something you have in your everyday operations. Patents protect technological ideas for up to 20 years, enabling companies to park their concepts until the opportune moment. This could mean waiting until the technology is more accessible for consumers.

The ability to protect intellectual property without needing to work on them right away, means that creativity and innovation become undisruptive.

5. Patents encourage healthy internal competition

When employees are engaged with their work, they are the greatest asset at the company’s disposal – and striving for a patent can be extremely motivating for a team. A suitable innovation method can be chosen when aiming for a patent application while using tools like KICKBOX, which allows for collaboration and record key developments. This encourages intrapreneurship and healthy competition.

Workers will develop a mindset where they want to innovate, not least to prove themselves to colleagues and their superiors.

6. Patents focus on continued growth

Finally, patents encourage all relevant parties to focus on future developments and the next big thing. Whether it’s a product, design, or process is almost irrelevant. For patents to be accepted, new concepts and technologies must bring something new to the table. In turn, it prevents stagnation and can yield both internal and external excitement for new items.