Venue: Conor Lecture Theatre, University of Ulster , York Street, Belfast Date: 16th June: Time 8.30am - 1.30pm

Venue: Lecture Theatre MF231, University of Ulster, Magee Campus, Derry Date: 17th June: Time 8.30am - 1.30pm

Most businesses generate and own intellectual property. In the development stage of any product it is important to ensure that you do not infringe any third party copyright and your intellectual property is fully protected. Creative individuals and businesses should, therefore, be protecting their designs, brands, logos, software and content creations.

At these free of charge seminars you will hear from experts specialising in IP protection in the creative and digital industry sectors. You will find out how your mental and creative outputs are tangible commodities that you can licence, sell, or trade and how to retain your rights. You will also hear real life stories of those who are working in the industry and developing products and applications. There will be the opportunity for some short 1 to 1's with the speakers during and after lunch. These include:

Malcolm Barclay is a pioneer in the fast growing 'App Economy' and has created Tube Deluxe, which helps Londoners find their way across the capital's underground system. He built this paid application after starting with a free app, Tube Status, which has been downloaded more than 100,000 times. Right now, he's getting around 11,000 downloads a month for Tube Deluxe, earning him about £4,000. Malcolm is a freelance software developer who usually works for major corporations but has taken a couple of months out to see if he can make it as an iphone app developer. He's put many hours into building his application in the kitchen of his London flat, which has become a temporary development studio.

Andrew Ferris, founder of Smalltown America, an independent record label based in Derry and London. Their aim is to cultivate a self-sustainable business model through which artists can release the best records they can possibly produce. Andrew recently secured a five album deal with Atlantic Records for Derry band Fighting with Wire.

Other speakers are Marice Cumber - Director and Founder of Own-IT, Matthew Forde - Media and IP lawyer, Forde Campbell LLP, Davy Sims - former BBC producer and Stuart Worthington (Derry only) - Leading Authority on Music Management. You will also hear how Invest Northern Ireland can help you in this area.

This event is being held in conjunction with the University of Ulster.

Register online at http://www.investni.com/registration or phone Morrow Communications at 028 9039 3837

Invest Northern Ireland have just issued this invitation. Places are limited and this is a really interesting and valuable event.

I shall be your humble host at both events. Be there or be uninformed ...

Venue: Conor Lecture Theatre, University of Ulster , York Street, Belfast Date: 16th June: Time 8.30am – 1.30pm

Venue: Lecture Theatre MF231, University of Ulster, Magee Campus, Derry Date: 17th June: Time 8.30am – 1.30pm

Most businesses generate and own intellectual property. In the development stage of any product it is important to ensure that you do not infringe any third party copyright and your intellectual property is fully protected. Creative individuals and businesses should, therefore, be protecting their designs, brands, logos, software and content creations.

At these free of charge seminars you will hear from experts specialising in IP protection in the creative and digital industry sectors. You will find out how your mental and creative outputs are tangible commodities that you can licence, sell, or trade and how to retain your rights. You will also hear real life stories of those who are working in the industry and developing products and applications. There will be the opportunity for some short 1 to 1’s with the speakers during and after lunch. These include:

Malcolm Barclay is a pioneer in the fast growing ‘App Economy’ and has created Tube Deluxe, which helps Londoners find their way across the capital’s underground system. He built this paid application after starting with a free app, Tube Status, which has been downloaded more than 100,000 times. Right now, he’s getting around 11,000 downloads a month for Tube Deluxe, earning him about £4,000. Malcolm is a freelance software developer who usually works for major corporations but has taken a couple of months out to see if he can make it as an iphone app developer. He’s put many hours into building his application in the kitchen of his London flat, which has become a temporary development studio.

Andrew Ferris, founder of Smalltown America, an independent record label based in Derry and London. Their aim is to cultivate a self-sustainable business model through which artists can release the best records they can possibly produce. Andrew recently secured a five album deal with Atlantic Records for Derry band Fighting with Wire.

Other speakers are Marice Cumber – Director and Founder of Own-IT, Matthew Forde – Media and IP lawyer, Forde Campbell LLP, Davy Sims - former BBC producer and Stuart Worthington (Derry only) – Leading Authority on Music Management. You will also hear how Invest Northern Ireland can help you in this area.

This event is being held in conjunction with the University of Ulster. Register online at http://www.investni.com/registration or phone Morrow Communications at 028 9039 3837

Invest NI is about to announce two sessions on Intellectual Property.

You own what you create (thinks - that would have been a good title ...) but many people working in the creative industries don’t quite understand that and if they do how to really take advantage of it.

There will be two half day sessions; 16 June in Conor Lecture Theatre at the Art College and on 17 June in Magee College in Derry. People lined up include Marice Cumber founder of Own-IT, Malcom Barclay Developer of Tube Deluxe App and Andrew Ferris, Smalltown America, Stuart Worthington, Music Tank.

The official word should be out in the next few days; I’ll blog it here and I expect it will be in [digitalcircle.org]9http://www.digitalcircle.org).

I seriously recommend that anyone making their business out of creativity should sign up as soon as you get the chance. Places are very limited.