November 2025

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 30 nov 2025

Designer's work requires protection as it is part of intellectual property (IP) and for this they have to register and obtain patent. But this vary depending upon jurisdiction. According to the World Intellectual Propery Organization (WIPO) website (wipo.int), the objective of the Riyadh Design Law Treaty (RDLT) is to streamline the procedures for design protection. By making the procedures less complex and more predictable, the RDLT helps designers to protect their work both in home markets and abroad. The treaty was adopted on 22 November 2024. The Riyadh Design Law Treaty consists of 34 articles (the Treaty) and 18 rules (the Regulations). The Treaty creates an Assembly of the Contracting Parties, which may amend the Regulations, establishing a dynamic framework for the development of design law. Legal consultants, Dhruv Mathur and Shivam Malvi of S.S. Rana & Co., explain the provisions of the treaty and how India's design and IP ecosystem will be effected by signing RDLT's Final Act. Key provisions of the treaty include - Alignment of procedures; Consolidated design submissions (Article 9); Reinstatement of lost rights and extension of missed deadlines (Article 14); Extended periods of publications (Article 10); Grace period for filing in case of disclosure (Article 7); Restoration of rights (Article 16); Protection of partial design; Correction of a mistake (Article 23); Traditional knowledge (Article 4). Explaining the impact of design registration in India, authors say, 'The signing of the Riyadh Law Treaty represents a crucial advancement for India in strengthening its intellectual property framework, fostering innovation, and assisting designers in safeguarding their creations more effectively. The treaty is anticipated to encourage international collaboration and offer Indian designers increased opportunities to exhibit their work on a global stage. By aligning with global standards, India seeks to draw foreign investments and improve its standing in the international design market. This initiative is also expected to stimulate local innovation and creativity, thereby contributing to the country's economic development as the treaty is implemented.' Read on...

Live Law: India Signs Final Act Of Riyadh Design Law Treaty: A Milestone For Industrial Design Protection
Authors: Dhruv Mathur, Shivam Malvi

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 26 nov 2025

Education initiative founded by The High School of Glasgow (Scotland), START, is a project-based learning programme for final year high school students that harnesses the tools and mindsets of design, entrepreneurship, and storytelling to develop experiential learning about startups and equip students with entrepreneurial skills to build, pitch and create startup ideas. The programme is supported by industry mentors from Scotland's startup ecosystem through a partnership with Scottish EDGE, a startup funding competition. Phil Ford, founder of START, says, 'START is all about inspiring the next generation of business leaders and innovators. It encourages young people to draw on their own experiences and passions to identify real-world problems and to then solve them...A huge part of the confidence instilled in pupils is thanks to exposure to founders via the mentoring aspect of the programme. Architect Danny Campbell, judge on BBC Scotland's Home of the Year, founded HOKO Design in 2019 to make residential architecture simpler, more accessible and better designed for everyday homeowners. He was the mentor to students of John Paul Academy as part of the START programme. He says, 'We often talk about building future talent pipelines - this is how you do it. You open the door earlier. You build relationships that last. You give people a chance...We need a landscape where young people see multiple routes to success - whether that's higher education, apprenticeships, starting their own thing or joining a growing business to get real world experience...Spending time with these pupils gave me fresh perspective, fresh energy and a sense of purpose I didn't realise I was missing.' Read on...

Scottish Construction Now: Architect calls for more entrepreneurs to 'go back to school'
Author: NA