Leading patent professionals, scientists, and academics tackle one of society’s biggest challenges: gender equality in tech careers.  This special episode, hosted by Roberta Romano-Götsch (EPO Chief Sustainability Officer), features highlights from the EPO’s recent roundtable discussions on women inventors.

> Read full study or key findings

> Watch all panel discussions in full

Innovation can fail in the gap between public research funding and private investment taking over, often termed the Valley of Death. But innovation culture also has a key role to play. 

Services offered by the European Innovation Council and the EPO’s network of over 320 PATLIB centres spread across Europe can help entrepreneurs cross the valley safely and thrive. 

Join Tom Withnell (EPO), Francesco Matteucci (Programme Manager, EIC) and Roberto Santolamazza (Managing Director,t2i PATLIB Centre, Italy) as they discuss these topics.

Patent information centres (PATLIB): https://www.epo.org/searching-for-patents/helpful-resources/patlib.html

European Innovation Council: https://eic.ec.europa.eu/index_en

European Innovation Council 2023 work programme: https://eic.ec.europa.eu/eic-2023-work-programme_en

Do we have knowledge cohesion across Europe? How does it differ from convergence? There is vast research on cohesion policy in Europe which still has to be developed on the grounds of measurement and the links between convergence and cohesion. In this podcast, Semih Akçomak tells us how to use patent collaboration and EU Framework Project collaboration data to analyse knowledge convergence and cohesion.

This episode is moderated by Catalina Martínez García, senior researcher in the Institute of Public Goods and Policies at the Spanish National Research Council.

Download full research project report: https://www.epo.org/learning/materials/academic-research-programme/research-project-grants.html

This podcast episode is a recording of the chat EPO patent examiner Edward Cooke had with Carmen Hijosa. At 60, Carmen began her PhD and established a new textile company that uses pineapple leaves to produce a vegan alternative to leather. Today, her business is thriving, the material is sought after by global fashion brands and the leaves, which are a by-product of pineapple harvesting in the Philippines, offer an additional income stream to farmers while using an otherwise discarded resource. 

Third episode in the series "Inspiring inventors" - giving you a unique opportunity to interact with the inventors, learn from their inspiring experiences, and take a closer look at what goes into successfully bringing an invention to market. 

Read more about Carmen Hijosa

Industries making above-average use of  intellectual property (IP) rights support four in ten jobs in the European Union, pay higher wages, comprise 47% of EU GDP and contribute ca 80% to EU exports. The significant contribution of these industries to the EU’s economy has been comprehensively analysed in the latest economic study produced jointly by the EPO and EUIPO. This fourth edition is new for 2022, and builds on the previous studies published in 2019, 2016 and 2013.

Moderator: Jeremy Philpott, Communications Manager, EPO

Guests: Nathan Wajsman, EUIPO Chief Economist, and Yann Ménière, EPO Chief Economist

See epo.org/ipr-intensive-industries

How credible are innovative business proposals? How likely are investors to fund start-ups and SMEs? Patents are fundamental to protect technologies, but they are also a useful signalling tool. In this podcast, Alberto Di Minin, Professor at the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa, tells us how patents can bridge the gap between investors and enterprises. According to a joint Scuola Sant’Anna and Centro Nazionale Ricerche study, business proposals coming from companies with a patent portfolio consistent with the type of activities that they seek financial support for are more likely to get funded.

This episode is moderated by Catalina Martínez García, senior researcher in the Institute of Public Goods and Policies at the Spanish National Research Council.

Download full research project report: https://www.epo.org/learning/materials/academic-research-programme/research-project-grants.html

Funding constraints are often a barrier to innovation, but patents can help raise funding when used as collateral. In this podcast Dirk Czarnitzki, professor in the Department of Management, Strategy and Innovation at the KU Leuven in Belgium and Felix Bracht, doctoral researcher, will discuss patent characteristics relevant in loan negotiations and estimate the level of debt firms can rise by pledging patents.

This episode is moderated by Catalina Martínez García, senior researcher in the Institute of Public Goods and Policies at the Spanish National Research Council.

Download full research project report: https://www.epo.org/learning/materials/academic-research-programme/research-project-grants.html

Connecting patents and trademarks can help track the diffusion of patented inventions into the market, reveal the commercialization capabilities of patenting firms and capture market specializations related to specific technologies. In this podcast Carolina Castaldi, professor of Geography of Innovation at the University of Utrecht, will delve into the process to tell you more about how researchers, policymakers and innovators can make the most out of patent and trademark concordance tables. This episode is moderated by Catalina Martínez García, senior researcher in the Institute of Public Goods and Policies at the Spanish National Research Council. 

Carolina Castaldi received the European Patent Office's Academic Research Programme grant in 2019. 

More about the Academic Research Programme: https://www.epo.org/learning/materials/academic-research-programme.html

More about Carolina Castaldi's project: https://www.epo.org/learning/materials/academic-research-programme/research-project-grants.html

So, you’ve protected your IP and have found a company or investor who is interested in the next stage of the commercialisation journey.  Now you need to strike a deal. What are your essential considerations? How might the negotiations go? It can seem daunting but in this podcast  Christophe Haunold, a knowledge and technology transfer professional, University of Luxembourg PaKTT office head, and ASTP President, will provide useful advice.

Moderated by Alison Campbell, CEO of the United Kingdom Government Office for Tech Transfer.

This is the sixth episode in the series "Intellectual property (IP) as key commercial asset: the essentials".

How could you turn your ideas and creativity into profit? More specifically, how could you commercialise patents and other intellectual property (IP) to grow your business? This podcast series help inventors, researchers, entrepreneurs and anyone interested in the potential of IP take their first steps in the business world. IP experts from all over Europe will share their inspirational stories, know-how and strategies that can help you turn your idea into a business.

Protecting your IP is a very important milestone, but it is only the starting point. So how do you begin the commercialisation journey? In this podcast you’ll learn about timing, identifying the market and customer’s needs, and finding support that can help you move your IP forward - all factors crucial for success.

In this podcast Marta Catarino, Head of Knowledge Transfer and Innovation at B.acis: Centre for Health Innovations at the School of Medicine at the University of Minho in Portugal helps you understand this landscape. Moderated by Alison Campbell, CEO of the United Kingdom Government Office for Tech Transfer.

This is the fifth episode in the series "Intellectual property (IP) as key commercial asset: the essentials".

How could you turn your ideas and creativity into profit? More specifically, how could you commercialise patents and other intellectual property (IP) to grow your business? This podcast series help inventors, researchers, entrepreneurs and anyone interested in the potential of IP take their first steps in the business world. IP experts from all over Europe will share their inspirational stories, know-how and strategies that can help you turn your idea into a business.