Patenting is expensive, especially in Europe, and most patents are never worked. That being the case is there really any point in patenting? Patents protect revenue streams and where there is unlikely to be any revenue, the answer must be no. On the other hand, for some inventions such as new medicines that are expensive to develop and have long lead times patenting is indispensable.

This article suggests an exercise by which inventors and entrepreneurs can identify the revenue generating assets of their business that are worth protecting.

It also considers alternatives to patents such as the law of confidence, copyright and unregistered design right.