Key Takeaways: 'How Design Protection can Drive Innovation' Workshop

On 22 September 2025, BEDA and DDC hosted an inspiring and hands-on afternoon at the Designmuseum Danmark exploring the role of design protection in strengthening business competitiveness and innovation. Together with EUIPO and other partners, we brought together designers, businesses, and experts to discuss when and why design protection matters, the barriers companies face, and the incentives that can help more businesses – especially SMEs – safeguard their designs.

The event was held in Copenhagen alongside this year’s DesignEuropa Awards, creating a valuable opportunity to open dialogue on how design protection can unlock value and future opportunities.

Key Takeaways

Participants worked in groups to discuss four key questions on design protection. Here are the main takeaways:

1. How can design enhance business competitiveness and market positioning?

• Protection: Registered designs safeguard against imitation, helping businesses secure and strengthen their market position.
• Value creation & differentiation: Design enhances desirability, reputation, and user experience — building a strong brand profile and setting businesses apart from competitors.
• Risk mitigation: Protection reduces business risks and builds investor confidence.

2. What are the key moments in the design lifecycle when protection should be considered?

• Early stages: During ideation and development, even before launch, to secure novelty.
• Before disclosure: Registration should happen prior to public launch.

3. What are the main barriers preventing businesses from registering their designs?

• Lack of awareness & knowledge: Many SMEs and designers don’t fully understand the value or process of design protection.
• Resources & costs: Registration is seen as time-consuming, costly, and complex.
• Systemic challenges: Difficulty checking novelty, enforcement issues, and fast product cycles (e.g. AI-driven design).

4. What are the current and future incentives that support design registration?

• Market advantages: Registration strengthens competitiveness, uniqueness, and investor trust.
• Support structures: Grants, simplified systems, and potential “design boards” could make protection more accessible.
• Future tools: AI and evolving legislation may improve the protection and monitoring of designs.

The programme explored how design strengthens business competitiveness, the key moments in the lifecycle when protection is most critical, common barriers to registration, and current and future incentives, while case studies, group discussions and peer-to-peer exchanges gave participants practical tools to integrate design protection into their strategies.

The hands-on workshop featured contributions from a diverse panel of speakers and expert facilitators, including:
François Caspar – Alliance France Design & BEDA,
Alfonso Cid – EUIPO,
Dita Danosa – Latvian Design Centre & BEDA,
Miguel Gusmão – EUIPO,
Jakob Herold – Coloplast,
Rie Maktabi – Caramma,
Christina Melander – Danish Design Center & BEDA,
Michael Rying – Scenes,
Päivi Tahkokallio – Tahkokallio Design+, (Former BEDA President),
Isabelle Vérilhac – APCI – Promotion of Design, (Former BEDA President).

This collaborative workshop builds on the continuous BEDA and EUIPO collaboration with the past workshops:
Fostering Intangible Design and IP Rights, Riga, 2024,
Process Oriented Service Design, Berlin, 2023.

Last updated: 16/03/26