Unpacking the Possibilities of Intellectual Property and Open Science - Summary of a Small Circle Meetup

On 1 July 2025, the Center for Open Science (COS) and the Horizon Europe project IP4OS – Unpacking the possibilities of Intellectual Property for Open Science convened a Small Circle Meetup on Intellectual Property (IP) and Open Science (OS) in London, held alongside the Metascience Conference. The session brought together a select group of nine experts, including representatives from researchers, research funders, research policy experts, research knowledge brokers, scientific publishers, and representatives from OS infrastructures.
The gathering was designed to foster open and candid dialogue on the evolving relationship between IP frameworks and OS practices in a rapidly transforming research environment. Building on the Small Circle methodology piloted by the Path2Integrity project in 2022, the format created a safe and confidential setting in which experts could critically reflect on shared challenges and opportunities.
The Small Circle Meetup in London focused on how IP and OS can move from perceived tensions to genuine synergies. Central questions guiding the discussion included: (1) When and how “open by default” can be realised, and what qualifies as legitimate exceptions; (2) The sequencing of patenting and open release in practice, and how hybrid models can be managed; (3) Institutional infrastructures and capacities needed to enable both protection of innovation and open dissemination.
Through this lens, the session aimed to explore how IP and OS can be positioned not as competing imperatives but as complementary drivers of sustainable, trustworthy, and impactful research.