Consult for questions on patenting and intellectual property
EP&C, partner of StartLife, can assist startups in all matters concerning Intellectual Property (IP), for example patents. Patents can protect your innovative activities, and can help you to attract investors. Also, it is advisable to check if others may have patents that could affect your activities.
But protecting your company’s activities is not limited to the filing of a patent application. We believe it starts with understanding the challenges you face. What are your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats? We make sure we know your business case so we can provide effective advice and support in IP matters.
If you have any questions related to patenting and / or Intellectual Property, do not hesitate to contact us.
In what way can a company like EP&C help me?
We can help assess if you have something worth patenting, or explain what is needed for a patent application and what the associated costs are. We can also look at relevant (patent) rights of third parties (Freedom-To-Operate). We advise to look at all this in the early stages of your business, to avoid problems later.
Should I protect my idea or initiative?
If you have a novel technical idea with commercial potential: yes, we think it is worth to explore the possibilities of protecting the idea. Not only to stop copycats, but also to attract investors and potential partners or customers.
How do I protect my idea or initiative?
For novel technical ideas, this can be done by filing a patent application, or, if possible, by keeping the idea secret and taking appropriate measures to keep it secret.
If the main focus is on the appearance of the product, it is possible to protect your innovation with a design registration. Other concepts may be protected for example by copyright or trademark.
What are the first steps to take in protecting my idea or initiative?
The first step is to have a free of charge meeting in which we will discuss your activities and the possible IP opportunities. Thereafter you will receive a proposal, for example, for a novelty search or our advice to start preparing a patent application including a cost estimate.
How much does it cost to protect my idea or initiative?
Costs depend on the amount of hours we have to put in (although the initial meeting and follow up proposal are free of charge!). Preparing and filing a patent application may involve between EUR4000-7500 ex VAT, depending on complexity and depending on the input you can provide yourself. Before we start working, we always make an estimate of the costs in your particular case.
Does WUR protect my idea or initiative?
Sometimes the WUR should be named as patent applicant, if you made the invention in the context of work or studies for the WUR. In such scenarios, and maybe other scenarios as well, WUR may help you in protecting the idea, e.g. by paying (a part of) patent costs.
Mark studied Bioprocess Technology at Wageningen University. He is experienced in molecular biology, DNA technology and immunology, and has experience in various complex patent cases in the field of Life Sciences.
Mark also regularly gives lectures and workshops on IP strategy.
If Mark is not at StartHub on Wednesdays, you can ask the Student Board for his contact details.
Michiel Croes is a patent attorney in training at EP&C Patent Attorneys. Michiel advises his client’s on how they can optimally protect their intellectual property rights. He specializes in particular on all aspects of patent law, including patent prosecution, patent strategy, and patent litigation.
His previous PhD and postdoctoral research was of a very multidisciplinary nature. Furthermore, through his previous experiences, Michiel got to know the world of academic researchers, startups, and financial backers from an inventor's perspective. Now, he is immersing himself in the work of a protector. He likes to take clients through the process that he himself knows so well from both sides.
"I deal with scientists and people with commercial ambitions. Thanks to my training and the projects around it, I am able to easily relate to both of them."