Backing your entrepreneurial start with a well-fitting IP strategy

A brief introduction on the basic principles of the IP system and the value of IP for start-ups will set the stage for the main topic of this session: essential IP considerations for innovative start-ups. NLO will cover various do’s and don’ts which are vital to ensure the success of your start-up. This checklist is based on real-life experience relating to secrecy, ownership, due diligence, freedom-to-operate, patent strategy, branding, and other IP-related legal issues.

Ben Brigou | European patent attorney, associate partner, NLO

Ben Brigou is a chemist and patent attorney with extensive experience in the pharmaceutical, chemical, food, feed, agricultural and mining industries, among other sectors. At NLO, he heads a multidisciplinary team of patent attorneys located in Belgium with a unique mixture of expertise in chemistry, physics, engineering, sensoring & AI. Ben’s practice includes prosecution, advisory and litigation work.

Barend Bouma | European patent attorney, associate partner, NLO

Fortifying IP at NLO as a patent attorney, Barend advises his pharma and life sciences Clients on various IP related issues. He has assisted life science clients in building uo and executing successful IP strategies integrated in the overall business. These strategies for example also can focus on late stage rights based on clinical trial data. In view of this Barend is regularly involved in clinical trial design, due diligence (for example for investors, innovators, M&A) and freedom-to-operate analyses. Barend has previous experience as COO and head of R&D of a Dutch Biotech firm and worked several years at an IP strategy consultancy firm.

About NLO

NLO has a team of 45 IP experts in pharma, life sciences, biotech, medtech, healthcare, nutraceuticals, etc. For intellectual property firm NLO added value for Clients comprises far more than only providing prosecution services. Working with Clients in a long-term partnership aimed at protecting their innovations and delivering added value; that's what drives our experts. We do this by designing, executing and maintaining IP strategies together with the Client, and of course by applying for, obtaining, defending and maintaining intellectual property rights (IP), on a global scale.