SME Features


2023 4iP Wrapped

2023 4iP Wrapped

21 December 2023

Top 5 Research Papers

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UN-PACK-ATHON

13 June 2023

Packaging Hackathon at Brunel University London

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We have interviewed the winners of the 2022 IP Research Awards

28 April 2023

We have interviewed the three winners of the 2022 IP Research Awards competition hosted by 4iP Council. We are thrilled to show, not only the papers of…

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Interview with Xavier Bonjour, Microoled

Interview with Xavier Bonjour, Microoled

16 March 2023

Looking into the world of light AR by the hand of Xavier Bonjour, Marketing & Partnerships Director of ActiveLook®

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Idealism and research by the hand of Jan Rongé

Idealism and research by the hand of Jan Rongé

29 August 2022

The finalist of the European Inventor Award explains how their technology produces renewable hydrogen from sunlight and air

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A floating solution to generate more and better energy

A floating solution to generate more and better energy

31 May 2022

Interviewing João Felgueiras, General Manager at SolarisFloat

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IP considerations for angel investors

IP considerations for angel investors

23 May 2022

By Peter Finnie, partner and patent attorney at full-service IP law firm Potter Clarkson.

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Caring for the future of health technology

Caring for the future of health technology

06 May 2022

Empatica is a full-stack digital healthcare company and a pioneer in digital biomarker development and continuous patient monitoring driven by AI.

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How Europe can build on strengths in SEPs to reclaim leadership in cellular with 5G and 6G

How Europe can build on strengths in SEPs to reclaim leadership in cellular with 5G and 6G

28 April 2022

A paper for 4iP Council by Keith Mallinson, WiseHarbor

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Interviewing the winners of the 4iP Council Research Awards

Interviewing the winners of the 4iP Council Research Awards

22 March 2022

We had the pleasure to interview the three authors of the 4iP Council Research Awards winning papers (2021 edition): Lorenzo Berto, Claris Azrael and Thomas…

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Exoskeletons to help children with neurological diseases

Exoskeletons to help children with neurological diseases

01 February 2022

Interviewing Elena García Armada, CEO at Marsi Bionics

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Drive, Curiosity and Light

Drive, Curiosity and Light

03 January 2022

Interview of Marco Bozzola and the story of Relio²

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The materials for a future without plastic

The materials for a future without plastic

14 October 2021

Johanna Baare, COO and co-founder of traceless, shares with us their story and exciting future plans

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Sugru: The patented formula to fix the world

Sugru: The patented formula to fix the world

27 September 2021

Jane Ní Dhulchaointigh, inventor and CEO at Sugru, shares her story with 4iP Council

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Three women entrepreneurs share their journey

Three women entrepreneurs share their journey

10 August 2021

Successful European startups leverage IP for growth

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The IP within the panels of the Sion solar powered e-car

The IP within the panels of the Sion solar powered e-car

08 April 2021

Mathieu Baudrit, Head of Research and Development Solar Integration at Sono Motors talks to 4iP Council about the solar powered innovations within the Sion…

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Nicolas Vigneron gives us an insight into the EUIPO’s SME programme

Nicolas Vigneron gives us an insight into the EUIPO’s SME programme

09 February 2021

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) recently launched the Ideas Powered for business initiative within the framework of its SME…

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Re-envisioning industrial design simulation

Re-envisioning industrial design simulation

13 January 2021

Interview with Dr Martin Schifko, Founder, Engineering Software Steyr

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Lessons from a serial entrepreneur and how Covid 19 inspired his latest invention

Lessons from a serial entrepreneur and how Covid 19 inspired his latest invention

07 December 2020

The world needs inventors and the greatest ideas are often derived from the greatest challenges. Serial inventor Alex Winter has put his mind and team to…

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Tempow - high tech earbuds for all

Tempow - high tech earbuds for all

03 December 2020

How a French software start-up is using IP alongside strategic partnerships to make listening better, build business with giants and change a market

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How a MedTech SME is using IP to drive change in treatment delivery

How a MedTech SME is using IP to drive change in treatment delivery

09 October 2020

4iP interviews Alexandre Tsoukalis CEO, Managing Director and co-founder, Micrel Medical Devices

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The IPKat's Hayleigh Bosher answers your questions on copyright & social media

14 July 2020

There were too many questions to answer in Hayleigh's 4iP Council webinar so she has kindly taken the time to respond to those questions she missed in this…

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Introducing IMEC, the pioneering research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital tech based in Europe

Introducing IMEC, the pioneering research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital tech based in Europe

02 July 2020

Ground-breaking innovation in healthcare, smart cities and mobility, logistics and manufacturing, energy, education as well as other domains.

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Removing unwanted particles from the air: an inventor’s story

Removing unwanted particles from the air: an inventor’s story

28 March 2020

Written last summer but highly relevant today, this 4iP Council feature tracks one European inventor's work on air particle extraction.

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Visionaries, catalysts and leaders

Visionaries, catalysts and leaders

06 March 2020

Perspectives from some of the many women influencing European IP and innovation

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No more searching for the charger

No more searching for the charger

03 February 2020

Innovative European SME, EnergySquare, simplifies access to energy with wireless charging technology.

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"Every time we add digital technology to hardware, it is like adding a nervous system to muscle and bone"

"Every time we add digital technology to hardware, it is like adding a nervous system to muscle and bone"

27 November 2019

Great tips for start-ups and a bird's-eye view of tomorrow’s world from Guido Jouret, Chief Digital Officer at ABB.

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Insights to inspire, build and guide sustainable founding teams

Insights to inspire, build and guide sustainable founding teams

14 October 2019

Dr. Ingrid Kelly, Technology Transfer Manager and European Patent Attorney explains the work of the Institute of Science and Technology Austria and shares…

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Life changing technical innovation in type 1 diabetes treatment uses artificial intelligence to determine and administer insulin automatically

Life changing technical innovation in type 1 diabetes treatment uses artificial intelligence to determine and administer insulin automatically

04 June 2019

Erik Huneker, co-founder of European SME Diabeloop, speaks to 4iP Council about his company's innovation.

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"Race ahead commercially and keep making the product better and better and better"

"Race ahead commercially and keep making the product better and better and better"

23 April 2019

4iP Council talks to Dr Alex von Frankenberg, the Managing Director of seed investor High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) to understand better the role of patents…

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Exploring fundamental research tech transfer at CERN

Exploring fundamental research tech transfer at CERN

25 February 2019

We interview Bernard Denis of the CERN knowledge transfer team

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Leading innovations that will shape the way we take to the road

Leading innovations that will shape the way we take to the road

05 December 2018

4iP Council speaks to Ray Millien, VP and Chief IP Counsel at Volvo Cars

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Robots may soon be spotted in a field near you

Robots may soon be spotted in a field near you

30 November 2018

Vitirover, the first robot mower able to cover surfaces as large and difficult as vineyards and power station parks

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Moving invention from serendipity to dependability

Moving invention from serendipity to dependability

19 November 2018

Stephen Potter of Iprova, explores the past, present & future, as he captures the views of experts on data driven invention.

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How significant are SMEs to the EU?

How significant are SMEs to the EU?

16 October 2018

Catherine Eginard, Head of Sector, H2020 – SME Instrument, talks to 4iP Council about the main highlights of the newly published SME instrument impact…

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Global innovation directions and evolutions

Global innovation directions and evolutions

18 September 2018

4iP Council talks to Shirin Elahi about how innovation and patent systems might evolve.

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Yann Ménière, Chief Economist, European Patent Office

Yann Ménière, Chief Economist, European Patent Office

25 May 2018

Yann Ménière, Chief Economist at the European Patent Office, talks to 4iP Council about his role, patent trends, notably regarding inventions relating to…

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An original financing solution for ‘not yet profitable’ SMEs investing in R&D

An original financing solution for ‘not yet profitable’ SMEs investing in R&D

09 April 2018

Neftys plays a crucial role in the innovation ecosystem. It offers start-ups and SMEs investing in R&D a form of bridging loan and, in so doing, solves an…

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Finding the point of optimisation in patent systems

Finding the point of optimisation in patent systems

21 February 2018

4iP Council interviews Manny Schecter, Chief Patent Counsel at IBM, a prolific user of the patent system. Manny has helped IBM build and protect a portfolio…

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Julian Nolan, pioneering data-driven invention

Julian Nolan, pioneering data-driven invention

19 February 2018

“It seemed strange to me that in such a data-driven world invention should be analogue, so I began to explore ways to create using data and algorithms.“

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Developing the code of practice for the European Court of Patents

Developing the code of practice for the European Court of Patents

24 November 2017

Alice Pezard is an international arbitrator. She is also a former Judge at the French ‘Cour de Cassation’, France’s highest judiciary court, and a former…

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Capturing ideas at Air Liquide

Capturing ideas at Air Liquide

02 October 2017

4iP Council speaks to Charlotta Ljungdahl, Vice-President for Group Intellectual Property at Air Liquide, to learn how this world leader in gases,…

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Laura MacDonald, MD at ASTP-Proton explains the need for a good ecosystem and talks about industry's increasing interest in university research

Laura MacDonald, MD at ASTP-Proton explains the need for a good ecosystem and talks about industry's increasing interest in university research

15 June 2017

With over 800 members, ASTP-Proton in The Hague is the largest association in Europe for professionals involved in technology knowledge transfer.

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4iP Council interviews development economist, Xiaolan Fu

4iP Council interviews development economist, Xiaolan Fu

21 April 2017

Xiaolan Fu is the Founding Director of the Oxford Technology and Management Centre for Development, Professor of Technology and International Development at…

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Philips tops the EPO list for patent filing for second consecutive year

Philips tops the EPO list for patent filing for second consecutive year

20 March 2017

Philips has just been named the world’s largest patent applicant at the European Patent Office (EPO) for the second year running. The company is also in the…

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The different patent landscapes of pharma and tech

The different patent landscapes of pharma and tech

21 February 2017

4iP Council speaks to Dr Dieter Tzschoppe, Director, Joint Cluster Pure & Applied Organic Chemistry (PAOC), European Patent Office (EPO) about the…

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How to estimate the value of your patenting: PSA Peugeot Citröen’s experience.

How to estimate the value of your patenting: PSA Peugeot Citröen’s experience.

08 December 2016

4iP Council speaks to Pierre Gendraud, General Manager of Licensing and Intellectual Property at PSA Peugeot Citröen and Expert in Intellectual Property at…

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Innovation in 3D: 4iP Council speaks to Dassault Systèmes’ Head of IP, Rodolphe Pantanacce.

Innovation in 3D: 4iP Council speaks to Dassault Systèmes’ Head of IP, Rodolphe Pantanacce.

28 October 2016

4iP Council speaks to Rodolphe Pantanacce, Head of IP at Dassault Systèmes, a pure software player specialised in 3D digital design, engineering, modeling,…

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4iP Council speaks to Alex Smith, Intellectual Property Manager at the UK’s nuclear reprocessing and decommissioning site, Sellafield

4iP Council speaks to Alex Smith, Intellectual Property Manager at the UK’s nuclear reprocessing and decommissioning site, Sellafield

20 October 2016

Innovating by necessity and the significance of patents, in an environment which calls for innovation and adaption of technologies for application in…

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Former CEO fuels chemical start-up growth.

Former CEO fuels chemical start-up growth.

07 July 2016

Recipient of the ‘Commandeur de l’Ordre de la Couronne’ (Belgium’s highest accolade) and former CEO of Petrofina, François Cornélis, is now “having lots of…

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Catapulting UK Innovation

Catapulting UK Innovation

07 July 2016

4iP Council talks to Simon Edmonds, Director of Catapults at Innovate UK.

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Intellectual property as a transversal tool

Intellectual property as a transversal tool

22 April 2016

4iP Council meets with intellectual property expert, author and teacher, Yann de Kermadec to discuss the current and evolving state of intellectual…

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How is software patenting evolving in India?

How is software patenting evolving in India?

22 April 2016

Dr. Santosh Kumar Mohanty is a vice-president and senior executive at India's largest IT company, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS). TCS provides IT…

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The MP3 invention: "The patent really is a contract with society"

The MP3 invention: "The patent really is a contract with society"

15 February 2016

“The patent really is a contract with society.” Karlheinz Brandenburg, of the celebrated mp3 invention team talks to 4iP Council.

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Patents and inventive spirit at Dyson

Patents and inventive spirit at Dyson

12 February 2016

4iP Council interviews Gill Smith, Group IP Director at Dyson about the company’s culture and reputation, the value of its patents and patent system…

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French physicist and inventor Jacques Lewiner

French physicist and inventor Jacques Lewiner

18 November 2015

4iP Council meets renowned French physicist and inventor Jacques Lewiner, Laureate of the French Academy of Sciences and Knight of the ‘Légion d’Honneur’.

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Investor’s perspective

Investor’s perspective

25 September 2015

Didier Tranchier is the Founder and President of ADELIT, a French angel investment company with a portfolio of forty technology companies. 4iP Council spoke…

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Perspectives on starting-up in France from eBlink founder, Alain Rolland

Perspectives on starting-up in France from eBlink founder, Alain Rolland

29 June 2015

4iP Council explores the experience of French telecom start-up EBlink as it markets a ground breaking mobile antennae solution to global tech giants.

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Tanya Ewing, FRSA

Tanya Ewing, FRSA

27 April 2015

Tanya Ewing is an award winning Scottish entrepreneur and a successful inventor. Voted 'British Female Inventor of the Year 2008', she created the real-time…

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Adrienne Corboud Fumagalli

Adrienne Corboud Fumagalli

24 April 2015

Vice President Innovation and Technology Transfer at EPFL in Lausanne shares her experience with 4iP. (Photo: Michael Stahl)

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