Welcome to the updated Scintilla website! Thanks to Andy Bancroft (@andydbancroft) for his good work in putting it together. The business has been up and running for a few short weeks and it has been a positive start. It’s been refreshing to get out and about and meet some of the tech community in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Although the wider economic picture is still gloomy, there seems to be a lot of activity and optimism about the future.

It has struck me afresh that effective intellectual property protection can make all the difference in attracting investment. Having a strong IP position, even if just a pending patent application, immediately gives potential investors comfort that there can be a competitive advantage.

Another early thought is the continuing misconceptions about software patents in the UK and Europe. There are of course some restrictions, but to dispense with patent protection out of hand can be a serious error. Whatever the arguments for or against software patents, companies owe it to themselves to make an informed decision. We are happy to meet companies and provide a free no obligation “first impression” of what may or may not be protectable. Contacting us at an early stage could make all the difference to gaining a strong IP position.

Further thoughts on these and other issues will follow – stay tuned!

Pete