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The Glasgow-based
centre - the first of its kind in Europe
 A
new Intellectual Assets Centre set up to help Scottish firms protect and
exploit their business know-how and expertise is now officially open for
business.
Deputy Enterprise Minister Allan Wilson said that the Glasgow-based centre -
the first of its kind in Europe - will help to build Scotland's
competitiveness in a modern knowledge economy.
Intellectual Assets (IA) are the intangible and often highly valuable assets
which can include brands, employee know-how, trade secrets and technical
information.
IA also covers Intellectual Property (IP), assets such as patents and
trademarks which are formally protected by statute law.
Mr Wilson said:
"The Intellectual Assets Centre will help us to achieve our top priority of
growing the economy by helping Scottish businesses recognise, protect and
exploit those important assets which can provide them with a leading-edge in
the marketplace.
"This important new facility will bring together a range of expertise from
both the public and private sectors to raise awareness and understanding of
the importance of IA and provide direction and advice on how to exploit the
untapped potential of their IA.
"I hope that Scotland's businesses both large and small will consider the
real benefits that this new centre can bring for them."
The Executive announced its intention to set up a national IA Centre on
December 3, 2003. Since this time, the facility has been preparing products
and services.
A chairman, Dr Gordon McConnachie, and Chief Executive, Iain Russell, have
been appointed.
The £3 million centre, based at Sky Park in Glasgow, is directly funded by
the Executive and is operated by Scottish Intellectual Asset Management Ltd,
a company formed for that purpose by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and
Islands Enterprise.
Its main activities are:
To raise awareness of IA through events, seminars and information provision.
To identify gaps in the provision of IA support to businesses and identify
appropriate solutions.
To provide signposting and advice to companies seeking IA management
services.
It can be contacted on 0141 243 4920 or at
http://www.ia-centre.org.uk/
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