Whenever a company is planning to develop and launch a new product, particularly in technology sectors where there is extensive patenting, a major risk is that commercialisation may be blocked by a competitor who holds a patent for a technology incorporated within that product. This is why many companies at an early stage seek to secure their “freedom to operate” (FTO). This training session illustrates how to minimise the risks, provides an overview of the different FTO types and looks into why FTO is strategically important for commercialisation activities of SMEs.
