UK Industrial Strategy
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| IP is gr-r-reat! |
IP, unsurprisingly, has a role to play. There are multiple direct references to IP in the strategy:
- A commitment to commission research on how institutions commercialise their IP, looking licensing and spin outs, and how practices vary between different institutions (institution here generally meaning universities)
- A commitment to reviewing how the IP system maximises incentives for collaboration and licensing
- New IPO representatives in the the Northern Powerhouse and the Midlands Engine
- The role of IP in innovative public procurement
- The independent review in to the UK creative industries which will include the role of IPR
The strategy has popped up in multiple IP and research discussions in recent weeks. A key theme has been that there remain key challenges in understanding how IP works in practice, such as commercialisation and licensing. The role of IP in university spin-outs is a long-standing problem; a problem that is perhaps dwarfed by the challenges of making such start-ups/spin-outs survive. There are also multiple criticisms that the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, which will launch with £270M to fund research on AI, robotics, nuclear energy, manufacturing and others, is noticeably lacking a human side.
Non-UK readers may curious as to the "Northern Powerhouse" and "Midlands Engine." Every good economic spin needs a catchy name (see Asian Tigers, Celtic Tiger). [Merpel is very upset the UK monikers are no longer of the feline persuasion. She suggests instead the Northern Panther and Midlands Manx.] Northern Powerhouse refers to the economies of the North England cities of Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle; Midlands Engine is the economy of the area between the South of England and the North. The focus on these areas is likely in recognition of the need to decentralise the UK economy away from London, although Scotland, North Ireland and Wales do not seem to have received the same treatment.
Non-UK readers may curious as to the "Northern Powerhouse" and "Midlands Engine." Every good economic spin needs a catchy name (see Asian Tigers, Celtic Tiger). [Merpel is very upset the UK monikers are no longer of the feline persuasion. She suggests instead the Northern Panther and Midlands Manx.] Northern Powerhouse refers to the economies of the North England cities of Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle; Midlands Engine is the economy of the area between the South of England and the North. The focus on these areas is likely in recognition of the need to decentralise the UK economy away from London, although Scotland, North Ireland and Wales do not seem to have received the same treatment.
It is hard to view the strategy without considering the political context. The uncertainty surrounding Brexit, and its impact on labour and skills, in addition to pending questions on international trade agreements, mean that domestic innovation and industry are more important than ever. Government investments and tax credits form part of industrial strategy and may be key in keeping and attracting multinational corporations. It is too early to tell if the industrial strategy is anticipating direct Brexit implications on IP.
The call for responses to the consultation on the industrial strategy closes April 17th.
