A new British standard, BS 8538:2011 Specification for the provision of services relating to the commercialisation of intellectual property rights, was launched today.
The standard sets out good practice and ethical principles for organizations that provide services to inventors, such as brokers, universities and inventors' clubs.
Its launch follows concerns that the growth in the number of organisations providing IP services could lead to inventors being taken advantage of.
The standard, which is endorsed by the UK IPO, can be bought for £130.