Intellectual property (IP) is a property right established in law to exclude others from using, without authorisation, your intellectual creations. IP rights allow you to commercialise and exploit your innovative and creative ideas. IP rights consist of:
Beyond these formal IP rights, businesses may also opt for protection of their own confidential information from misappropriation by keeping it a trade secret.
* Depending on the national law and the type of design, they may also be protected as works of art under copyright. In some countries, designs are protected under patent law as "design patents".