Every innovation, no matter how small it may seem, is a strategic asset for any company. And, like any asset, it needs protection. If you work for yourself or run a small business, you have various legal avenues available to ensure that your brands, designs, or processes remain exclusively yours.
If you are self-employed or have a small or medium-sized enterprise, there are different legal tools that allow you to shield your innovation, your image, and even your information.
Patents: innovation with guarantees
Patents protect new technical solutions resulting from a research or development process. They grant you exclusive exploitation rights for a specific period, preventing third parties from manufacturing or selling without permission.
For example, this serves so that a Galician company developing a more efficient water filtration system for fish farms can register that patent, which prevents others from manufacturing or marketing the same system without authorization.
Utility models: for simple technical improvements
When the innovation is simpler, such as an improvement to an existing product, you can resort to a utility model. It is faster and more economical than a patent, while also maintaining exclusive rights over your creation.
In this case, a self-employed carpenter who designs a new hinge that makes it easier to open and close heavy doors can serve as an example. By registering it as a utility model, no competitor will be able to copy that system for the duration of the protection.
Trademarks: the sign that distinguishes you
Trade name, logo, slogan… A trademark is what identifies you in the market. Therefore, registering it means ensuring that only you can use it for your products or services, strengthening customer trust and protecting your reputation.
For example, if you have an online Galician food store called “Sabores do Atlántico” with a recognizable logo, registering the trademark prevents another company from using the same name for similar products.
Industrial designs: the power of visual appeal
Industrial design protects the external appearance of a product—shape, colors, combinations…—which is key to differentiating yourself when aesthetics are also part of the value you offer.
Imagine a ceramics artisan who develops a line of plates with unique shapes and reliefs. The only way to protect them is by registering the industrial design to prevent other brands from imitating that appearance to sell similar products.
Trade secrets: information that cannot leak
Recipes, client lists, internal processes… If that information has value for your business, you can legally protect it as a trade secret. This helps you maintain a competitive advantage over the competition.
What can it be useful for? Well, for example, if an ice cream factory creates a special formula that makes them different, by creating confidentiality measures they can file a claim if an employee or collaborator reveals that recipe.
Copyright: also for software
Literary and artistic works, as well as software, are automatically protected by copyright. Therefore, if you develop content or programs, this is the legal framework that safeguards your intellectual property.
For example, if a startup develops an application to manage restaurant reservations, copyright protects the source code, screens, and program structure, preventing illegal copies.
In short, there are many forms and possibilities to protect companies’ most valuable assets. Knowing these options is the first step; the next is to evaluate which one or ones best suit your project. You can contact the expert team at the Economic Office of Galicia to receive guidance and take the first steps in the registration or protection that best suits you.
