‘You can only love what you know’ is a wonderful expression that is also valid for intellectual property (IP). Annemie Hautekiet works for VLAIO, Flanders Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Together with the rest of the IP team, she provides information on IP with the aim of removing misconceptions among entrepreneurs. VLAIO is an important business partner for BOIP.
“We hear misconceptions like: ‘intellectual property is expensive’, ‘IP is only for multinationals’ or ‘IP is not appropriate for SMEs’. We’ve been fighting against these and other misconceptions about intellectual property for years. Luckily, we’re not on our own and we work together with different (governmental) partners that are active in Flanders in the field of IP.”
“BOIP is also an important partner in that. Among other things, we work together on organising information sessions, webinars and so-called “zitdagen” [consultation days]. With our motto “What you always wanted to know but never dared to ask”, companies are able to gain customised information during events like these. Last but not least, we’ve also developed a number of tools together, such as: www.beschermmijnidee.be and www.ThatsIP.be. Together with BOIP, VLAIO has taken up the challenge to make intellectual property in Flanders better known and therefore ‘loved’.”
Proud heritage, bright future
BOIP is 50! We are using this anniversary as an opportunity to pause and look back over our rich past. And to show that we are looking forward to the future. Under the motto ‘Proud heritage, bright future’, we take you back over 50 years of intellectual property (IP). In these guest blogs, IP professionals tell us how they look back in the past or how they see the future.