Reporter 25/4/01: Cambridge Research and Innovation Limited

Cambridge Research and Innovation Limited

CRIL is an investment fund for innovators who are creating valuable new technology through their research. For each venture which CRIL supports, we work closely with the innovators, building a commercial venture around their technology. In addition to capital, CRIL invests a considerable amount of its management's time to nurturing the venture through the early stages of its growth. CRIL is looking for new technologies with specific applications, where the technology so applied produces products which have significant advantages over the competition; new technologies which can be protected by patent design registration or copyright, and have the potential to address large, possibly global, markets. CRIL will consider investments in newly emerging technologies across the entire scientific spectrum. We typically invest between £50,000 and £500,000 in milestone-related stages in UK based ventures. CRIL takes a flexible approach to each investment as each situation is different, but where appropriate, CRIL will provide funding for patent applications, market research, and prototype development, and provide management input, and secretarial and accounting support.

CRIL welcomes initial contact with innovators, either by telephone or letter. CRIL will then work with the innovator to develop a proposal for investment, or evaluate an existing proposal. All information provided during this process is treated as confidential, and will only be discussed by a small number of people on a 'need to know' basis.

For more information, contact Cambridge Research and Innovation Limited, 13 Station Road, Cambridge, CB1 2JB (tel. 01223 312856, fax 01223 365704, e-mail enquiries@cril.co.uk).

CRIL's capital comes from insurance companies, pension funds, the University of Cambridge, and some of its Colleges. For information on the interaction with the University, please contact Dr Richard Jennings, Wolfson Industrial Liaison Office, 16 Mill Lane, Cambridge, CB2 1SB (tel. 01223 333543, fax 01223 332988).

PATENT CLINIC: ADVICE ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

(with Page White and Farrer)

Professional advice on intellectual property rights (patents, copyright, design) is a crucial step in protecting inventors' rights in the process of commercialization. Patents may give protection to novel devices, systems, processes, and products. Designs relate to the appearance of products. Copyright may protect software. It is only by seeking legal rights, e.g. by way of a patent, that the commercial potential of many new ideas can be fully exploited. To obtain effective patent protection it is essential that a patent application is filed at the Patent Office before publication or any non-confidential disclosure.

Cambridge Research and Innovation Limited, in association with Page White and Farrer, Chartered Patent Agents, hold monthly patent clinics in Cambridge for researchers to give preliminary confidential guidance. Page White and Farrer is a London firm of quali-fied patent practitioners, including several Cambridge graduates, having a wide variety of technical backgrounds including electronics, physics, engineering, material sciences, chemistry, and biotechnology.

Patent clinics are held at 13 Station Road, Cambridge. Please contact CRIL on 312856 to arrange a time for a confidential discussion. There is no charge for this service, nor any obligation.

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