Business and IP managers

HTB clinics Overview

HTB clinics

HTB EPO Clinics
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The HTB clinics offer business decision makers and IP professionals a platform to discuss IP-related matters and seek advice. In line with the EPO's mission to support innovation, these clinics serve to underline the importance of effective IP strategy and management in leveraging intellectual assets for business growth.

The clinics consist of 30-minute, one-on-one meetings with IP and business experts including:

  • IP strategy and business advisers from both private and public sectors
  • licensing and technology transfer professionals
  • investors and scale-up experts
  • legal experts for IP transactions
  • patent and trade mark attorneys, including patent examiners and Unitary Patent experts

Participants can connect with a mentor with expertise in their area of interest, their industry branch or in their geographic location. Questions and topics for discussion are selected on a first come, first served basis.

While the mentors do not provide legal advice, they can help in:

  • defining the scope and identifying possible bottlenecks
  • clarifying any questions and how to address them
  • providing strategic and operational guidance
  • encouraging a solution-driven approach

Areas of expertise include:

  • IP-focused business strategies (IP strategy and IP management, including open innovation, collaboration, licensing, M&A, etc.)
  • IP protection (patents, trade marks, copyrights, trade secrets, etc.)
  • legal (freedom-to-operate analysis, contracts, dispute resolution, enforcement and litigation, etc.)
  • IP-based financing (IP assessment and valuation, startup financing, growth financing, IP budgeting, etc.)