Innovative start-ups push boundaries on IPRs; but challenges remain

Over 30 start-ups showcased how they are expanding the horizon on how intellectual properties (IP) can be created in niche areas. Image Credit: Delhi College of Photography

Start-ups are finding novel ways to expand intellectual property (IP) to hitherto uncharted paths, and protect their IP rights in India – a country where copy-pasting and piracy is rampant, if not mainstream.

The premise - the capabilities of the human mind are infinite. And, thus, intellectual property which can be defined as intangible creations of the human intellect, can also present itself in myriad ways.

A number of start-ups, lawyers and intellectuals gathered at the second edition of the Great Indian IP Feast, organised by lawyer and value investor Safir Anand, at Mehrauli to deliberate exactly this.

“IP is a unifying factor for us (start-ups attending the event) today,” said Kashvi, speaking on behalf of designer label Siddhartha Bansal, who sells “handcrafted luxury.”

Over 30 start-ups showcased how they are expanding the horizon on how intellectual properties (IP) can be created in niche areas. One start-up is creating musical logos, while another is reinventing how we consume tomato ketchup. One is taking Butter Chicken back to its authentic roots, while another is combining every possible colour conceivable to create mind blowing textiles.

Jaggercane, which is trying to popularise jaggery, said the response has been really good. The company is also innovating how jaggery can be used as a replacement for refined sugar which is bad for health, consumed in a large quantity. Jaggercane is using jaggery in tomato ketchup, replacing sugar. This does not affect the taste profile, claims Kaushal Singh, Co-Founder and COO of the company.

Bili Hu - a coffee connoisseur – is mixing gin and self-roasted coffee to create a new taste for consumers. Bharat Singhal, Founder of the company, said IP in his work comes from how he roasts the coffee and how he prepares the final beverage.

Singhal said he has created four different kinds of cocktails. He roasts coffee in a differently from popular coffee makers. Most tasters at his stall appreciated the taste though a few said “it was not for their taste”.

Preservation

It is not just creating new properties, but also preserving them that is important. Partition Museum is one such institution that had not just preserved several works related to the partition (of 1947) , but also generated a few while doing so.

“It is a labour of love. We have recorded the oral histories of thousands of people who came from across the borders,” said Lady Kishwar Desai, the Chairperson of the trust managing the Partition Museum in Amritsar, stressing that we should never forget what happened during the partition.

Kids from Salaam Balak Trust performed at the event. Image Credit: Delhi College of Photography

Amit Bagga of Daryaganj, owner of a restaurant chain, spoke about how his grandfather, Kundan Lal Jaggi, introduced Butter Chicken and Dal Makhani after coming to Delhi from Peshawar. Though a lot has changed in how it is prepared today.

“The present-day Butter Chicken is made with lots of cream etc while the original recipe is much healthier and simpler,” said Bagga, adding he presents the dishes as per the “original” recipe.

Protection

Founders also said though generating IP is one part, and perhaps the easier part, protecting them is a tall task in India.

Abhishek Basak, Founder of Absynthe Design, who specialises in creating new designer products out of discarded metal and machines, accepted that it was very difficult to protect his work from plagiarism.

Vani Tripathi, an actor who has appeared in films like Dushman and Chalte Chalte, spoke of the rampant piracy that plagues the entertainment industry.

"When you are downloading for free, you are destroying the work of thousands of people who have put it together. It is not just about copyright or awareness. It is also about creating consciousness," she said.