Software patents harm SMEs
From en.swpat.org
During the lobbying around the EU software patents directive, representatives of small and medium enterprises were against software patents.
Contents |
[edit] Reasons
SMEs can't afford to get patents.
The patent grant process is too slow. SMEs have to get to profitability quickly to survive.
SMEs can't afford to check every idea they come up with to make sure that it hasn't already been patented by someone else.
SMEs can't afford to defend themselves against patent litigation, even if they're sure the patent is invalid.
SMEs can't even get insurance against the risk of unintentional patent infringement (insurance companies know when a risk is too big to take on.)
The cost of patent enforcement might excede the size of revenue they would be trying to protect.
[edit] Statements
[edit] Studies
- Rethinking the European ICT agenda "...most small enterprises are strongly opposed."
- Innovation in Germany, Windows of opportunity "...SMEs are crucial providers of pathbreaking innovations, but would be most adversely affected by patentability...."
(See other studies on economics and innovation)
[edit] Related pages on en.swpat.org
- Some SMEs like software patents myth - when pro-swpat corporations pretend to speak for SMEs
- passive threats - a common way that SMEs are "targeted"
- Who owns software patents? - it's not the SMEs
[edit] External links
- How Patents Are Harming Small Companies Too
- Interview mentioning that 3% of patent applicants own 50% of the patents granted by the EPO, good quotes
- Economic Majority testemonials, mostly from SMEs, regarding the EU software patents directive
- (in French) Small publishers worry about being choked by patents ([?] English translations: Google, Babelfish)
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