PATLIB2021 conference heralds enhanced support for innovators in Europe
The EPO held its PATLIB2021 online conference on 18/19 May, with over 1 200 registered participants and some of the leading technology transfer experts in Europe participating as speakers. The event marked the launch of the EPO's PATLIB 2.0 project, which aims to enhance the network of over 300 patent information centres ("PATLIB centres") spread across Europe.
"We want to make PATLIB a hallmark for high-quality IP expertise," said EPO President, António Campinos, opening the event. "It's our hope that ‘PATLIB 2.0' will boost IP support and technology transfer even further by offering broad, high-quality services to universities, research centres, inventors, and SMEs. We want entrepreneurs, inventors, and many others to get the IP bug, and discover how patents can be a source of commercial success."
During three high-level panels, experts from the World Intellectual Property Organization, European Commission, EPO, universities and technology transfer offices, as well as industry and the legal profession, discussed intellectual property management in light of COVID-19, the role of IP valuation in attracting private investment, and the challenges of AI-generated IP.
About PATLIB 2.0
The EPO's PATLIB 2.0 project, focusing on technology transfer and IP commercialisation through the network of patent information centres in Europe, is being developed under the Office's Strategic Plan 2023. It takes place against the backdrop of the European Commission's Horizon Europe initiative, an ambitious investment programme to strengthen Europe's research and innovation landscape.
In the coming months each PATLIB centre will be validated by the EPO, which is expected to provide a wide variety of benefits: a comprehensive training schedule, a common collaboration tool and a shared information platform that will be made available immediately. The project will seek to use existing experts in the network as a primary resource for training and mentoring.