SME Funding Now Available
SPRING Singapore & IPOS: IPM Programme & SCOPE IP™

How does my business benefit? Does my business qualify?
For more information on how your business can benefit from these schemes and the qualifying criteria, please contact Ms Laurel Loi, Head, Intellectual Property Practice, TIC LLP. EMAIL: laurel@law-isaac.com, TEL: 6533-0288

• OVERVIEW OF PROGRAMMES

Funding is now available to Small to Medium-sized Enterprises for “IPM Programme” (Intellectual Property Management Programme) and “SCOPE IP™” (Strategies for Creation, Ownership, Protection & Exploitation of IP).

In light of the global economic uncertainty, many SMEs are faced with the dilemma of protecting and exploiting their Intellectual Property Rights and balancing their financial budget allocated for such activities which have a direct impact on their annual sales, revenue and business plans for Year 2009 and beyond.

As part of our Firm’s client care and IP news alert, we wish to remind you of the availability of funding for IPM programmes for SMEs which are jointly managed by SPRING Singapore and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (“IPOS”):

(1) IPM Programme (Intellectual Property Management Programme) and
(2) SCOPE IP™ (Strategies for Creation, Ownership, Protection & Exploitation of IP)

IPM Programme is a capability development programme designed for local SMEs that want to improve their competitiveness by capitalising on IP Management as a strategic tool.

This programme will help SMEs to manage the life cycle of their IPs, including its creation, ownership, protection and commercial exploitation. IP management capability development projects include (but are not limited to): IP Audit; IP Consulting; IP Education and Training; IP Intelligence and Research; IP Strategy; IP Valuation; IP Licensing and IP Portfolio Management.

SCOPE IP™ is an assessment framework that is under the IPM programme. It is a diagnostic tool that helps businesses assess the strengths and weaknesses of their IP deployment and management system.

The above programmes can help you examine your company’s IP management processes, improve or align them with new business strategies based on recommendations provided by the panel of consultants to help you harness the benefit from your IPs to improve your competitiveness in Singapore and also in the International business arena.

The SCOPE IP™ panel of consultants is categorized as List A (Business) and List B (Intellectual Property) based on their area of specialization.

Our Ms Laurel Loi has been accepted as a legal consultant from List B (Intellectual Property) and she will assist you in selecting a consultant from List A (Business). Together, the two SCOPE IP consultants will help you review your business using the SCOPE IP methodology and generate a report identifying areas for improvement with strategic growth options for each of them, based on current and future needs of the company.

• THE FUNDING

Funding can be readily available for all local SMEs who have a genuine interest in protecting, improving, exploiting and capitalizing their IPs, provided the following pre-requisites are met:

These programmes are open to companies that:

1. are registered or incorporated in Singapore;

2. have at least 30% local shareholding;

3. have fixed assets at net book value of S$15million or less; and

4. have 200 or less employees (for companies in the services sector),

and the award of the grant shall be assessed on a case by case basis.

Stage I: Diagnose
Up to 50% of the consultancy costs for SCOPE IP

The appointed SCOPE IP consultants will assist you in undergoing an assessment programme to identify your IP deployment and management system before generating a report detailing the companies’ strengths and weaknesses, with relevant recommendations for improvement in any of these areas:

1. Leadership

2. Strategic Management Plan

3. Audit and Analysis

4. Intellectual Capital Management

5. Innovation Process Management

6. IP Portfolio Management

7. External Relationship Satisfaction

8. IP Management Results

Stage II: Capability Development
Up to 50% of qualifying costs including but not limited to, manpower, equipment and materials, consultancy and acquisition of Intellectual Property Rights

After undergoing Stage (I), the company can review the recommended changes and seek further expert assistance to build on their own capabilities to realize its full potential by developing and incorporating a set of “best practice” protocols on IP Management to sharpen its competitive edge and facilitate future business negotiations including obtaining financing for new ventures.

New Lawyers

For 2009, the Firm welcomes S.Kerushnan, Ho Seng Giap and Wayne Ong to the legal team. TIC now has 15 lawyers to serve our clients.

[View S Kerushnan's profile]

[View Ho Seng Giap's profile]

[View Wayne Ong's profile]

New Offices

TIC is growing, so in order to better serve our clients and better accommodate our staff, our Intellectual Property, Insurance and Property Law Departments have moved to adjacent premises. The Litigation Department remains in the original office. If you are visiting our offices, please proceed directly to the relevant office for your convenience.

Our main office, postal address, telephone and facsimile numbers remain unchanged:

Tito Isaac & Co LLP
20A Circular Road
Singapore 049376

Tel: (65) 65330288
Fax: (65) 65338802 (Litigation)
[This fax is not for service of Court documents)

The new branch offices are located just a few steps away at:

23A Circular Road
Singapore 049379
and
24A & 24B Circular Road
Singapore 049380

Fax: (65) 65338820 (IP & Insurance)
Fax: (65) 62238802 (Property)

The Supreme Court

The Subordinate Courts

The Attorney-General's Chambers

The Ministry of Law

Singapore International Arbitration Centre

Singapore Mediation Centre

Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority

The Law Society

Singapore Academy of Law

Asean Law Association