Design driven innovations, products’ value and their intellectual capital management / UAB “ACME Europe”

Content of the presentation:

1. Our products’ portfolio was competitive only in the regional market,but had no demand on the global one. Export markets were a “musthave” for the future development of the company.

2. We set a goal to develop highly completive products (in the globalmarket) and to enter the biggest retail stores in WEU region (UK, GE).

3. The design driven innovations were our main resources, which wereused to reach these targets.

ACME PEAK Messenger bag-backpack:

1. Co-creation project with VDA University;2. Two departments: industrial design + fashion & materials;3. ACME R&D team + 50 students/young professionals.

Solutions: 2 in 1 multifunctional bag(works as a backpack and a messenger)

Retail packaging

ACME “Urban harmony” cleanersACME R&D team

User perspective:

Touch-screens are very dirty (research proofed);Available cleaners are bulky and not portable.

Hardware perspective:

Touch-screens can be easy damaged by using standard alcohol based cleaners.

Solution: portable cleaners

Retail approach and placement

Final results:

1. Both products have helped us to be noticed in the global trade showsand attracted clients in over 30 countries;2. They have “opened the doors” for the rest ACME products (basicones) to UK and DE retailer stores;3. “iF DESIGN AWARD“ (Germany) generated PR messages in local andglobal media (with no marketing expenditures);4. These products haven’t become mainstream items, but they haveperformed their tasks perfectly.

Intellectual property (IP) management: why and how we were doing this?

1. The first target was to sell the rights to other companies for theseproducts manufacture and sales in the areas where “ACME Europe” is notoperating and to cover our investments;2. IP was the only solution for that;3. With 95% support from the government/ES funds it was a pretty lowinvestment for the company.

2’nd – Utility/Protection of the innovation:

a. Product lifecycle in CE market is pretty short – from 12 to 24 month;Getting the Patent takes 18-24month;“Patent pending” phase delivers “partly protection”.

b. If there is any products‘ updates (materials, functional or others) done byother company on the “base of your innovation“ there are a lot of chancesthat the patent protection will be worthless.