Things are getting there, slowly!

I am off to the View from the Top today to have a look at another exhibition that's similar in format to ours. I'm going to check out how they have hung their posters, fascinating I know but pretty important for our expo!

Things are coming together, but as I said to someone yesterday, I abandoned my to do list this week as it was actually distracting me. I have been a 'one-job-at-a-time worker' for the past few days, just so I can complete some tasks and move on. It's been quite liberating, I have to say!

I am beginning to get worried though, we've got a whole bunch of people joining us for the main event on the 20th November...WILL YOU BE THERE?

The GUEST SPEEDy interview- Denis Denisenko

This interview features Denis, who's a SPEEDster in the West Midlands

www.copyfox.co.uk

–State your name for the record

Denis Denisenko

–Please tell us what problem your business solves in 50 words or less

It makes student life easier by providing free photocopying service

–Expand on your idea – how will you make money from it?

Companies finance the service and get advertised

–Explain who your customer is

Any company, charity or/and organisation interested in marketing to the youth

–Describe where you see yourself in 5 years’ time

I will be running a multi-million £ company.

PS We are expanding, so if you think you are an entreprenuerial type of person, do get in touch with me to discuss possible cooperation – dennis@copyfox.co.uk / 07892840399 / skype denis.denisenko

Random Questions

• Who is your hero?

…a person in the mirror, honestly!

What sets the 'stars' apart?

picture credit: Lily Zhu

We've been thinking about the 'Stars' of our SPEED programme here at NTU in advance of our celebration and awards ceremony in November.

I came across this blog post on Lateral Action which is very relevant to our thinking. Everyone has 'it' in them to be successful, but what have the stars got to set them apart? Mark McGuinness says

"Like many of us, the stars began with a dream. But dreams are cheap. Instead of sitting around daydreaming, they took action. Each of them did something very unusual. Something distinctive, outstanding, unique. They learned their craft. They worked hard. They took risks. They took their craft and transformed it into art. They took kicks in the teeth and learned from them. They got effective people on board. They got the word out. They promised and delivered, over and over again."

Read the rest of this well-written post here

Making our Mark

We're on the Make Your Mark Website, check out our SPEED event for Enterprise week here

A celebration of the SPEED programme at Nottingham Trent University

To mark the final months of the SPEED (Student Placements for Entrepreneurs in Education) programme, Nottingham Trent University’s business incubation unit, The Hive, is holding an exhibition of SPEED businesses and projects.

The revolutionary programme has provided students taking a placement year the opportunity to set up and run their own business in The Hive, instead of pursuing a standard industrial work-placement scheme.

The event will take place during Enterprise Week at the View from the Top Gallery on the top floor of Waterstones Bookstore in Nottingham, from Wednesday, November 19 to Sunday, November 23.

Please do support the endeavours of our students over the last two years by coming along and networking with them.

Venue: View from the Top Gallery - Waterstones Bookstore, Bridlesmith Gate, Nottingham

The Hive has secured the services of a Bentley Jennison a leading accountancy company from within the city, for a series of accountancy surgeries. The first sessions were a sell-out and the feedback has been very positive;

Very useful - I would definitely recommend these - Mandy

Yes, it was great...John’s awesome he makes things very clear and simple - Simeon

Definitely worth it as it offers a second opinion and allows you to ask questions which you are unsure of but don’t want to keep going over with existing accounts – Adam

We are offering 40-minute one-one appointments – bookable in advance.

Next Session planned for:

November 2008

Hive Meeting Room

We consider this service to be a valuable opportunity for your business.

If you would like an appointment, please contact:

Karen Doxey on 0115 848 4354 or e-mail: karen.doxey@ntu.ac.uk

Patents

Some useful lessons in patents, trademarks and design registraion can be learnt from this post on Steve Van Dulken's Patent Blog.
I'll reproduce it in full below:

The Tangle Teezer®

Dragons' Den is an entertaining TV programme as so often those asking for cash for their ideas are naive, but sometimes the experts do get it wrong. Shaun Pulfrey's Tangle Teezer® is an example.

A year ago he asked for £85,000 in return for a 15% stake in his new hairbrush. Its teeth are designed to flex just the right amount to minimise tugging while smoothing the cuticles, says a story on the invention. An experienced London hairdresser, Pulfrey had thought of the idea 15 years ago but only made a prototype in 2004. All the dragons dismissed it.

A few weeks ago, Boots agreed to stock the product at 600 stores. Turnover (largely on the Internet, at £9.95) is already £800,000 annually, a quarter of which is profit. It looks as if the dragons missed out on a nice profit.

I had a look at the intellectual property behind the idea. In March 2005 Pulfrey applied for a European Community trade mark for the name, probably his most powerful selling tool.

In March 2007 he applied for a British patent, which was published a week ago as a Hair care device.

Then in April 2007 he applied for a Community design, one of the drawings of which is shown here.

In October 2007 he applied for design protection in the USA with American "design patent" D576804.

Finally in January 2008 he filed for a US trade mark/ trademark for the name. There may be other applications waiting publication, such as, perhaps, an American patent application.

The difference between designs and patents is, broadly speaking, that the former protects the appearance while the latter protects how it works. He used Marks & Clerk, a firm of patent attorneys, to advise him on his strategy and to write the applications.

A problem for anyone interesting in foreign protection is that this must be sought within 12 months of filing for a patent, or within 6 months of filing for a design. "Filing out of convention" by missing those deadlines means that your own domestic filings can be used to show that the idea is not new. Many who might be interested in filing abroad do not (yet) have the finance, or are not certain of product appeal, and therefore decide not to gamble on filing. Failure to file in a country means that the idea can be used there by others.