Free Certificate Course in Application of Intellectual Property Rights for Startups and Entrepreneurship [November 22- 23]

We are pleased to announce that registration for the free Certificate Course in Application of Intellectual Property Rights for Startups and Entrepreneurship is currently open. The course is supported by Texas A&M University School of Law and will be delivered in-person at the Centre for Technology and Law, Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology (DA-IICT), Gandhinagar on November 22 and 23. The instructors for the course are Prof. Srividhya Ragavan and Swaraj Paul Barooah. For further details please see their call for participation below.

Certificate Course in Application of Intellectual Property Rights for Startups and Entrepreneurship [November 22- 23]

About Entrepreneurship

According to the Economic Survey Report 2022-23, start-ups in India, as recognised by the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), have risen from a mere 452 in 2016 to an impressive 84,012 in 2022, a staggering 18,587% jump in a short span of 6 years! This exponential growth in entrepreneurial activities in India is being led by tech-based start-ups. As per a NASSCOM report, India added a whopping over 1,300 active tech start-ups in the year 2022, taking the total tally of such start-ups to approx. 26,000, accounting for 31% of the overall start-up ecosystem in India! This ever-rising rate of entrepreneurship in India is being fuelled by her gigantic population of 1.43 billion people, accounting for 17.76% of world’s overall human population, second to none in terms of quantum of human resources. India’s youthful population, which has a median age of 28.2 years, one of the lowest in the world, offers her a rare advantage of a demographic dividend, boosted by an unprecedented bulge in her working age population.

Here lies the role and significance of start-ups in India, attested by the fact that in the year 2022 alone, the 84,012 start-ups recognised by DPIIT have created 9+ lakh jobs with an increase of 64% over last year! Entrepreneurs – technologically armed, legally aware, financially shrewd, managerially efficient, and enthused with a patriotic zeal to create dignified jobs for a rising India – can make a big impact on the Indian economy. The digital age in which we live has unleashed a new band of entrepreneurs who leverage technology and know-how of fundamental and computer sciences to generate novel and disruptive entrepreneurial ideas. These “techno-entrepreneurs” are not just building new enterprises with exponentially rising revenues but also creating employment opportunities for millions. At the core of these tech-start-ups lie entrepreneurial ideas that are deeply rooted in advancements in science and technology. Intellectual Property Rights (“IPR”) law empowers such techno-entrepreneurs to protect their ideas and inventions from misappropriation and encroachment by others, and thereby, enables them to unlock the true potential value of their intellectual property.

About Intellectual Property Rights

Intellectual properties are the manifestation of digital revolution that fuels 21st century technologically-driven economies. These are intangible creations of human mind that promise a stable stream of revenue to their creators. These intellectual properties are “assets” that have a measurable economic value in terms of their intrinsic worth and are capable of commercial exploitation. As owners of their intellect, inventors of intellectual properties have a natural right to exclusively commercialise the products of their minds. This liberty to benefit from one’s intellectual creation gives rise to a bundle of rights related to intellectual property, including, Patents, Copyrights, Trademarks, Geographical Indications, among others.

The 21st century India relies on inventions, innovation, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of the human mind to create employment for her burgeoning youth population and IPR law ensures that the goal is gainfully achieved. Studying IPR law empowers Entrepreneurs to protect and promote their innovation, invention and creations. Understanding IPR law enables “legally aware entrepreneurs/techno-entrepreneurs” to navigate these complex transactions and negotiate favourably. Neglect of IPR law can lead to unintentional infringement, resulting in costly legal disputes. Nevertheless, awareness about dispute settlement strategies can minimise the economic and legal costs of ignoring IPR law.

About the Course

Designed primarily to cater to the entrepreneurial zeal of engineering and management students, this one and a half-day program provides an invaluable foundation in the principles, practices, and significance of IPR to entrepreneurship and start-up enthusiasts. Participants will delve into the significance of IPR for entrepreneurship, exploring the various forms of IPRs that are relevant for entrepreneurial ventures, while gaining practical insights into the strategies, processes, and legal aspects that underpin Patent, Copyright and Trademark protection and enforcement. The course is being supported by Texas A&M University School of Law.

Potential Course Outcomes

The participants of the course can expect the following learning outcomes at the conclusion of the course:

• Grasp the significance of IPR for entrepreneurs/Start-ups.
• Identify different types of IPRs relevant for entrepreneurship and appreciate the importance of IPR in the success of a start-up venture.
• Comprehend the concept, rationale, and significance of Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks.
• Learn the practical aspects of Patent application and prosecution in the context of Indian IPR law.
• Get an insightful understanding of the most controversial and impactful IPR battles, stories, and case-studies in India and beyond.

Course Schedule

Pedagogy

The course will be delivered in-person at the Centre for Technology and Law, Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology (DA-IICT), Gandhinagar, on November 22 and 23, 2023. The teaching methodology will constitute the following pedagogical elements:

• Intensive lectures supplemented with classroom discussions.
• Analysis and review of legal provisions on the content covered.
• Case study based on landmark Indian and international judgements.
• Q&A session at the end of the day to address unresolved queries of participants.
• Soliciting feedback from participants to improvise the offerings.

Eligibility

Anyone interested in learning about the intersection between Law and Entrepreneurship with a specific focus on IPR are eligible.

Registration

DA-IICT extends a warm welcome to all eligible participants FREE of charge. However, interested participants need to register themselves by filling the necessary details in the below-mentioned registration link.

Registration Link – https://tinyurl.com/b68s3xk8 (Alternatively, scan the QR Code to register).

Instructors

Prof. Srividhya Ragavan

(Sri) Ragavan is a Professor of Law & Director of International Programs at Texas A&M University School of Law. She is an elected member of the American Law Institute, (ALI), USA. As an academic, Ragavan’s scholarship has emphasized issues intersecting international trade law with intellectual property rights. Ragavan’s books and publications are listed on her website: http://www.sriragavan.com. She has authored numerous impactful law reviews and book chapters on a variety of issues published in top law reviews. Her work can be found in the SSRN (https://tinyurl.com/2mrkhk37) and BePress (https://works.bepress.com/srividhya_ragavan/) pages.

In all, Ragavan’s scholarship brings together three distinct areas of expertise: intellectual property; access to medications and health; and trade and development. Very few academics bring to the table expertise in all three of those areas. Sri Ragavan graduated with a BA. LLB (Honours) from the National Law School of India University in Bangalore where she was a merit certificate holder. Further, Ragavan received the Overseas Development Agency Shared Scholarship Scheme (ODASS Scholarship) administered by the Administration of Commonwealth Universities to pursue her LL.M from King’s College, University of London. Later, Ragavan completed her SJD from the George Washington University Law School. Ragavan was the First Texas Instruments Visiting Scholar at the Center for Advanced Study & Research on Intellectual Property at the University of Washington at Seattle.

Swaraj Paul Barooah

Swaraj Paul Barooah is an IP law and policy Consultant and Managing Editor of SpicyIP, globally recognised as a top resource for Indian IP law and policy. His areas of focus include international IP policy, IP & development, and IP & Health. Aside from various journals, his writings can be found at SpicyIP.com where he has been writing since 2008. He has earlier served as Policy Director at the ‘Centre for Internet and Society, India’, EVP at ‘IDIA Charitable Trust’, and Global Program Manager for the ‘Global Congress on IP and the Public Interest’. He has given guest courses and lectures at University of Mumbai, CII-TAMU Exec Education Program, IIM Nagpur, Istanbul Centre for International Law, Cochin University of Science and Technology, National Judicial Academy, NCERT’s e-Pathshala programme, Pondicherry University, and Nalsar University of Law. He has done his BA LLB from Nalsar University of Law, Hyderabad and his LLM from University of California, Berkeley.