Discover more about the Intellectual Property Webinar with Susana Rodrigues, Patent Consultant at Inventa, our member company.

On March 11th, HiTech 2025 hosted an insightful webinar on Intellectual Property, a key topic for technology commercialization. Led by Susana Rodrigues, a patent consultant from our member company, Inventa, the session provided valuable answers to HiTech participants' questions, offering expert guidance on this crucial subject.

Webinar Highlights:

The webinar covered key aspects of Intellectual Property, following this agenda:

1. Intellectual Property – Why Protect?
2. IP Strategies and Patent Timeline - Exploring strategic approaches and the patenting process.
3. How Much Does a Patent Cost? - Breaking down the financial aspects of patent protection.
4. Real-World Examples - Case studies illustrating key concepts.

Key Takeaways:

The webinar began with Susana Rodrigues defining innovation and explaining how it can be protected. She emphasized that innovation applies not just to new products but also to processes, marketing, and organizational improvements. Susana then outlined the key benefits of protecting intellectual property, which include economic valorization and exclusivity for a set period.

As the webinar progressed, we explored various protection processes, including patents and trade secrets, gaining valuable insights into the best strategies for different markets and products. Susana provided an in-depth look at the patenting process, including the importance of performing a prior art search before filing a patent, which ensures that the invention is both novel and inventive. The presentation covered key stages in the patent application process, from filing to the granting of a patent, and Susana provided expert advice on choosing between patents and trade secrets based on an invention’s visibility and technical aspects.

A significant portion of the session focused on the costs associated with patent applications, including filing, examination, and maintenance fees. Susana compared the cost of a Unitary Patent, which covers multiple European countries, to the classic validation route, highlighting the cost advantages of the former.

Susana also emphasized the key requirements for patentability, including novelty, inventive step, clarity, and sufficiency of disclosure. These criteria are especially important in deep tech, where distinguishing between a minor improvement and a true innovation is critical.

To conclude the webinar, Susana Rodrigues presented specific examples tailored to the researchers in attendance, followed by a Q&A session to address any remaining doubts. This webinar marked an important milestone for all participants, equipping them with valuable knowledge and insights essential for protecting their deep tech projects.

About Susana Rodrigues:
Susana Rodrigues is a Patent Consultant at Inventa, specializing in patent registration, drafting, and responding to patent office notifications. With expertise in areas such as physics, material processing, and computer-implemented inventions, she helps innovators protect their groundbreaking ideas with precision and clarity.

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