The foundation of a successful business always rests on a good idea. The technical aspects of this idea can be protected through patents and utility models, thereby transforming them into valuable competitive advantages.

Patent attorney Dr. Frank Feller is a partner at Weickmann & Weickmann and has been developing IP strategies for startups as well as established technology companies for many years. In his tutorial, in addition to an introduction to intellectual property law and practical examples from startup consulting, he primarily provides concrete recommendations for building your own patent portfolio and for dealing with competitors’ intellectual property rights.

Key topics of the tutorial are:

• What is patentable, and what is not? Is software patentable?
• Confidentiality and disclosure – when is it time to file a patent application?
• Practical example: From idea to patent – the patent application process
• Global patent protection – strategies for internationally minded startups
• Who owns the patent? Special situations involving employees of universities and companies
• Costs of patent protection
• What competitive advantages can I expect from a patent application? Which ones not?
• Risks from third-party intellectual property rights – Freedom to Operate
• Practical example: How do I read and interpret a patent?

Speaker:
Dr. Frank Feller, M.Sc., Dr. rer. nat., (Patent Attorney, European Patent Attorney, Physicist), [ www.weickmann.de ]