Mysuru: Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development & Facilitation Office, in association with National Institute of Engineering (NIE)-Incubation & Startup Centre, NIE-Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology (KSCST) IPR Cell, the NIE, Mysuru, had organised a one-day awareness programme on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) at Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Hall in NIE (South),   Mysuru, recently.

Mir Amjad Husain, Head, Incubation and Startup Centre, NIE, Mysuru, highlighted the importance of the programme and explained how the Incubation and Startup Centre at NIE support intellectual property protection, innovation  and commercialisation.

Deputy Director of MSME, M. Shashikumar, emphasised the importance of intellectual property protection for MSMEs’ competitiveness. He urged entrepreneurs and researchers to leverage Government support programmes for IPR filing, while highlighting MSMEs’ role in economic development, innovation and IP protection.

In her Presidential address during the inaugural session, NIE Principal Dr. Rohini Nagapadma highlighted the importance of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. She emphasised NIE’s role in research and startups, aligning with Atmanirbhar Bharat and urged participants to utilise IPR for commercialisation and economic growth.

Advocate & Patent Attorney Kiran Bettadapur, emphasised the monetisation of Intellectual Property (IP) by securing patents, copyrights and trademarks.

He discussed IP as a business asset, commercialisation strategies, technology transfer and licensing while addressing challenges like patent validity and market risks. His session provided valuable insights for startups, researchers and entrepreneurs.

Head, Patent Cell, AIISH, Mysuru, Dr. P. Sharath Kumar, delivered a lecture on patents and their types, explaining utility, design and plant patents. He also shared success stories of ground-breaking patents that transformed industries, emphasising the importance of IP protection in fostering innovation and commercialisation.

Assistant Director of MSME Development & Facilitation Office A. Shivakumar,  explained about the initiatives supporting startups and businesses in IP protection and commercialisation. He highlighted Government schemes for marginalised sections, encouraging them to benefit.

He also urged students to explore Government-backed opportunities to foster innovation and entrepreneurship.

The programme was coordinated by Dr. B.M. Sankarshan (NIE-KSCST IPR Cell), Dr. C. Nagaraju (Department of ECE) and Dr. K. Gourav (Department  of Civil Engineering).