IP impact from start-up to exit: A business perspective
IP impact from start-up to exit: A business perspective
The EPO supports entrepreneurs, decision-makers and investors in technology-driven enterprises. Throughout the year, numerous online activities are organised to support strategic decision-making based on case studies and best practice in IP management. Some examples are available at www.epo.org/business-forum.
Using real-life cases, business experts present and discuss success stories and the challenges that they have had to overcome. They delve into the role and importance of IP assets, with a special emphasis on licensing, building to exit, growth financing and open innovation.
The next forum will be the 5-year anniversary edition of the highly successful HTB forum format. Selected key contributors and subject-matter experts will look at key messages from previous events and expand on some of the learnings focused especially on business decision-makers. During this event, two case studies will be presented and elaborated on while providing clear key takeaway messages.
These activities are developed in collaboration with LESI and the High-growth Technology Business (HTB) initiative.
Live session:
29 January 2026 at 17.00 - 19.00 (CET)
Organised by
European Patent Academy
Licensing Executives Society International (LESI)
Organised by
European Patent Academy
Licensing Executives Society International (LESI)
- Dana Colarulli - Executive Director, Licensing Executives Society International (Washington, USA)
- Thomas Bereuter – Innovation Networks Manager, European Patent Academy, EPO (Munich, Germany)
- Willem Bulthuis – Founder, Corporate Ventures Advisor and Co-founder, scale4impact (Munich, Germany)
- Juergen Graner – Founder and CEO, Globalator (San Diego, USA - London, UK - Vienna, Austria)
5-year anniversary event description
Download the programme with detailed list of speakers.
Lightyear case study
Willem Bulthuis will dive deeper into the topic of how to succeed with a solid patent foundation. He will lead the discussion on how the need for a solid patent foundation evolves from the start-up phase, through the growth phase, and all the way to an exit and beyond.
The discussions will be based on the case study of the Dutch company Lightyear. As the expert panel chair of the "growth financing" HTB forum editions since 2020, Willem will continue to focus on the perspective of growth financing. He will be supported in his discussions by a team of expert panel members that includes Thomas Bereuter, Dana Robert Colarulli and Juergen Graner.
ORIGIMM case study
Juergen Graner will dive deeper into the topic of how to succeed with technology platforms. He will lead the discussion on how you optimise outcomes when you are blessed (or cursed) with a technology platform that provides you with many pathways and options from the start-up phase, through the growth phase, and all the way to an exit and beyond.
The discussions will be based on the case study of the Austrian company ORIGIMM. As the expert panel chair of the "build-to-sell" HTB forum editions since 2020, Juergen will continue to focus on the perspective of build-to-sell. He will be supported in his discussions by a team of expert panel members that includes Thomas, Bereuter, Dana Robert Colarulli and Willem Bulthuis.