Why protect my IP?

Intellectual property (IP) protection gives you exclusive rights to your IP.

If someone uses your IP without permission, that is they infringe your IP rights, you can take legal action to stop them.

If you do not want to use your IP yourself, you can sell it, just like physical property. However, once you have sold your IP, you cannot use it unless you get permission, known as a licence, from the new owner.

If you want to let other people use your IP, but you want to keep control of it, you can licence it to one or more people.

You should also consider confidentiality, enforcement of rights and insurance, which can also help you benefit from your IP.