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World Intellectual Property Day: Women in R&D
26 April 2023
Celebrating World IP day & women in innovation, hear from our Innovation Funding Consultants, who share their thoughts, experiences and insights on women in R&D and innovation.
World Intellectual Property Day is celebrated on April 26th to promote the importance of intellectual property rights in encouraging innovation. This year’s theme is “Women and IP: Accelerating Innovation and Creativity” which acknowledges the contributions of women to innovation.
What is intellectual property (IP)?
Intellectual property is something that you create using your mind – for example, a story, an invention, an artistic work or a symbol. IP may be divided into two categories:
- Hard IP, which includes patents for inventions, trademarks and industrial designs.
- Soft IP: copyright, trade secrets and data.
Why is intellectual property important?
Protecting your IP is crucial to prevent others from using or selling it without permission and by licensing or selling your IP, you can earn royalties or profit. Additionally, IP can be used as collateral to secure funding from investors or banks. Therefore, protecting and utilising your IP is essential for any successful business.
Women in IP: Accelerating Innovation & Creativity
In celebration of World IP day and women in innovation, we asked our Innovation Funding Consultants to share their experiences, insights, and views on women in the R&D sector.
Hear from Mariana Bosco Santos, our Innovation Consultant. Mariana has over 5 years’ experience as a lawyer and consultant, mainly focused on R&D tax credits. She started her career as a tax litigation lawyer and developed her experience working as a senior tax consultant at EY assisting companies with their R&D tax credit claims in Brazil, including one of the largest clean energy companies in the world.
1. Can you briefly describe your path into R&D?
“I started as a tax lawyer and I then pursued further education in Tax Planning & Management with a focus on tax innovation. Along the way, I had the privilege of learning from and working alongside women in various capacities.
Since working with Visiativ, I have assisted clients who invested in innovation to benefit from tax incentives, supporting clients from various sectors. Through discussions with clients, I help to identify opportunities to encourage investments in innovation, such as the R&D tax claim and patent box.
2. How can we encourage more women to get into innovation?
“Encouraging women’s involvement in innovation is a collective effort. We can celebrate their achievements and support their inventions. Mentoring a woman on your team, inviting women as speakers at events, offering training opportunities and flexible working hours are effective ways to promote women’s participation and use of the IP system.”
Hear from Taylor Franchetti, who is also one of our Innovation Consultants here at Visiativ. After graduating from the University of Edinburgh, Taylor progressed onto R&D focused roles. Where she spent time as an R&D writer, compiling R&D projects & prepared reports for submission to HMRC. Taylor then moved onto a regional manager role where she took on higher value (£5m+) clients and more complex clients (RDEC, grants).
1. Can you provide some examples where you helped accelerate innovation for your clients?
Without going into specifics, clients I have worked have been able to take on new employees or invest in much needed plant or machinery for them to continue to innovate with the R&D tax benefit they received. Additionally, by having relationships with clients and knowing their needs or sticking points, being able to introduce them to other great clients who can help fulfil their needs or overcome technical issues.
2. How do you feel about the representation of women in the R&D sector? / Have you worked with many female entrepreneur clients?
As someone who works in the R&D sector, I have encountered a diverse range of experiences and viewpoints, including women in leadership roles. I believe that it is crucial to strive for balance and equality in the workplace, and that this can be achieved by promoting diversity among all underrepresented groups. Women play a vital role in achieving this balance, but we must also ensure that other marginalised groups are equally represented.
3. What could be done to encourage more women to get involved in innovation?
If you have an idea but don’t know where to start, consider joining local Women in Business clubs like the one in Edinburgh. These groups provide opportunities to connect with like-minded professionals and learn about the exciting projects they are working on. Networking with people in your desired industry and location can lead to collaborations and provide fresh perspectives. Talking through your ideas with others can also help you develop a plan of action to achieve your goals. Additionally, it’s important to seek out financial support and be aware of funding opportunities specifically designed for female entrepreneurs to address the gender funding gap.
To encourage more women-led businesses to pursue the R&D scheme, raising awareness and disseminating information to the right circles is crucial. Even if you’re a start-up, consulting with an R&D specialist can help you prepare your finances and technical data in the most effective way.
Visiativ’s View
As a company, we are committed to promoting gender equality and diversity in innovation.
Getting women involved with intellectual property (IP) is crucial because it can help to address the gender gap in innovation and entrepreneurship. Historically, women have been underrepresented in these fields, which has resulted in a lack of female-led businesses and fewer innovations that address the needs and perspectives of women.
By promoting the importance of women’s participation in IP, we can encourage more women to create and protect their ideas and inventions, leading to increased innovation and economic growth. It can also help to close the gender gap in access to funding and resources by providing more opportunities for women-led businesses to secure investment and gain recognition for their work.
We have a dedicated IP Service which will deal with any of your queries confidentially, please feel free to get in touch with Edward O’Gorman for further information: edward.ogorman@visiativ.co.uk
