TrademarkVision – Protecting Australian brands and giving businesses IP confidence
Cameron Mitchell, COO of TradeMarkVision speaks to a EP adviser
Company Profile
Company: TrademarkVision
Sector: Technology
Location: Brisbane-based, with offices in Philadelphia and San Francisco
Profile: TrademarkVision has developed a technology that allows Australian businesses to search visual trademarks. Businesses can protect their brands and avoid violating intellectual property.
Why R&D is needed
Since TrademarkVision launched in 2013, it has been at the forefront of artificial intelligence. The technology it has developed is changing the way people make intellectual property (IP) searches around the world.
TrademarkVision’s technology is used in the Australian Government's IP search system and the European Union Intellectual Property Office's IP search system.
Founder Sandra Mau said her company is helping Australian businesses save time doing IP searches. Prior to this new technology, conducting IP searches was time-consuming and resulted in many errors.
TrademarkVision with IP Australia built the Australian Trade Mark Search; a platform which is now free for Australian businesses.
"When you come across a logo, it's easy to compare it with your own, but when you want to compare it to millions, suddenly the task becomes very daunting,” Ms Mau said, who has previously worked in R&D for National ICT Australia (NICTA).
“For anyone who has ever wanted to create a unique logo or ensure their IP is safe from possible infringement, they know this process can take hours, days and sometimes weeks.
“Our technology cuts trademark, brand and logo searches down to seconds. It has the potential not only to improve brand owners' lives, but completely change the game of brand protection.
“It is also saving Australian businesses money through related lawyer fees or the associated administration time of searching old-fashioned databases," Ms Mau said.
How the Research and Development Tax Incentive helps
TrademarkVision COO, Cameron Mitchell, believes that without continued support for their R&D, TrademarkVision would be left behind.
“Being part of the R&DTI program will allow us to concentrate on research that will set us up for continual growth and success. We want to maintain focus on R&D at all times, and without programs like this we wouldn't be protected from distractions that would take us away from that commitment.
“Though this is the first year we've participated in the program we're already planning to use the money to bring on more R&D staff, explore more Computer Vision projects, and grow our own IP and technology further.”
TrademarkVision’s technology benefits businesses who now have access to a free platform which reduces time and costs around their branding.
“This means we're empowering all brands, small or otherwise, to have IP confidence. We hope to deliver even greater benefits to Australian businesses as our research progresses. Programs like RDTI will help enable those benefits to come to life,” Mr Mitchell said.
There are tens of thousands of searches done every week on Australian Trade Mark Search, a platform we built with IP Australia. It is a result of our R&D and support from programs like R&DTI.
R&DTI Impact Facts
- Two full-time staff members, four research interns, one research manager
- Talent acquisition from overseas
- Help brands secure intellectual property
- Potential for partnerships with other universities around the world
Note: As this is the first year the company has participated in the R&DTI, the above list outlines what they plan to do with the R&DTI money.