Intellectual Property Protection for SMEs

Small and medium-sized enterprises form the backbone of the economy in both Germany and Japan. Their creativity leads to inventions and innovation, from which companies of all sizes benefit. However, smaller companies often find it difficult to protect their intellectual property. While large corporations hire in-house patent attorneys and are able to file large numbers of patents, SMEs are often not familiar with the administrative processes and hesitate to hire external advisors. In consequence, they can suffer large competitive disadvantages leading to significant financial weakness and losses – something that would be avoidable if the intellectual property had been protected properly beforehand.

In this “Asa no Kai”, Wolfgang Strobel, partner at DJW member company Kroher Strobel Rechts- und Patentanwälte PartmbH, will show that applying for trademarks, patents or utility models and designs is not as big a hurdle for SMEs as it may appear, and can actually be a source of revenue rather than just a cost factor.

Mr. Strobel will introduce cases of companies that had not protected their intellectual property, and success stories of companies that did. He will offer guidelines particularly for SMEs as to what steps they can take to protect their innovative technologies, designs and trademarks, and how to work with the IP administration authorities in Germany and the European Patent Office.

Interested participants with specific questions are invited to send their questions beforehand.

Speaker

Wolfgang Strobel, Partner, Kroher Strobel Rechts- und Patentanwälte PartmbB

Wolfgang Strobel is a German patent attorney with more than 30 years of experience, focusing on advising clients in all aspects of intellectual property, in particular regarding technical inventions, trademarks and product design. He is an expert in mechanical engineering, and has extensive knowledge of control engineering, thermodynamics and manufacturing techno­logy. Wolfgang Strobel also has extensive experience in opposition, appeal and revocation procedures, utility model cancellation, and in enforcing intellectual property rights – for example by means of preliminary injunctions. He prepares expert opinions on patentability and patent validity, as well as on infringement, for example to avoid infringing third-party rights. He represents his clients before the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA), the Federal Patent Court, the European Patent Office (EPO), the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and before the German Federal Court of Justice in revocation proceedings.

Speaking Language

English

Participation Fee

DJW Members: EUR 0 / JPY 0
Non-Members: EUR 35 / JPY 5.000

Note:
According to our conditions of participation, participation fee is due for no-shows as well. A cancellation of participation has to be sent by email up to 3 days prior to the event.

Contact

Deutsch-Japanischer Wirtschaftskreis e. V. (DJW)
Maria Deutsch
Event Coordination
events@djw.de