Ciaran McGinley (European Patent Office) - Open Innovation - Do we still need Patents?

Ciaran McGinley, Project Initiator EPO Scenarios for the Future, European Patent Office

Open Innovation - Do we still need Patents?

In a world where knowledge is increasingly shared and innovation becomes a collaborative process, are traditional forms of intellectual property protection still appropriate? This presentation explores how the paradigm shift to open and collaborative innovation which is already eminent today will impact the role of patents and intellectual property tomorrow. By applying the scenario methodology and using the four "EPO Scenarios for the Future" as different possible environments, the potential drivers which might encourage the development of open innovation models are identified. How businesses and other stakeholders might adapt their IP strategies will also vary substantially from one scenario to the next.