Scotland boasts a remarkable concentration of world-class universities, driving innovation across life sciences, AI, engineering, and energy. However, as Richard Gibbs, Office Managing Partner at Marks & Clerk Glasgow, highlights in Scottish Business Insider, a critical challenge remains: bridging the gap between academic research and commercialisation.
A recent European Patent Office (EPO) report underscores this challenge, revealing that 45% of UK university-derived European patent applications come from just four institutions: Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College and UCL. While these universities lead the way, Scotland's rich research ecosystem has the potential to compete at the highest level, provided its institutions maximise the value of their intellectual property (IP).
At Marks & Clerk, we collaborate closely with universities, spin-outs, and businesses to develop robust IP strategies that turn groundbreaking research into commercial success. To explore how we can support your innovation journey, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Beyond academia, Scotland must also strengthen its innovation ecosystem. Stronger ties between universities, industry stakeholders and the public sector are vital to create an environment for IP to thrive. Such collaboration can also unlock pathways for commercialisation that may otherwise be overlooked.
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