World IP Day: IP in sports innovation
Send us Fan Mail To mark World IP Day’s sports theme, we explore how intellectual property quietly shapes the world of winter sport, from performance and safety to sponsorship and visibility. Drawing on stories from the Olympics and beyond, we unpack how patents, trade secrets, and open standards influence everything from the equipment athletes use to the way competitions are run and experienced by fans. In this episode, we cover: How parabolic skis transformed technique and speed The patented spring loaded slalom gate and its unexpected impact on safety Airbags in downhill skiing and the balance between protection and risk Athlete branding and Olympic sponsorship as drivers of visibility and income Four year innovation cycles and why trade secrets can outperform patents in elite sport Clapskates as a case study in know how and competitive advantage The UK roots of skeleton and links between sport, the military, and university research Innovation in ski mountaineering gear, from skins to pin bindings Avalanche transceivers, open standards, and why interoperability matters A preview of standard essential patents for a future deep dive If you enjoyed the latest episode, please leave us a review or share it with your friends and colleagues to help grow the audience.