Have you invented something and don’t know how to proceed? Or do you have a technical question? During an assisted patent search, a patent expert in your technical field searches in patent databases together with you and answers your questions on patenting. This half day session at our office in Bern costs CHF 300.

Have you had an idea, pursued it persistently, developed a product and now, after a huge effort, are successfully launching it on the market? Read about the roles patents, trade marks, designs and copyright can play in our Guide for Innovative and Creative Minds.

We have courses for both beginners and professionals. Our training programme and information on courses can be found under Training and courses.

You can get 45 minutes of free advice on patent protection and copyright software protection from patent attorneys (.pdf) affiliated to the IP Advisory Network.

Do you need an expert’s opinion on which protection is best for you? Or would you like help in choosing a trade mark or defining the scope of protection for your patent application? Or maybe you need advice on handling a dispute with a competitor?

A trade mark consultant or patent attorney can give you competent advice and recommendations.

Innosuisse, the Swiss Innovation Agency supports science-based innovation projects jointly run by companies and research partners. In addition, Innosuisse offers a range of opportunities for the transfer of knowledge between research and industry on a national and international level.

You can find information about topics such as founding a company, finances, marketing, taxes, insurance and more on the SME Portal of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO.

With the e-Learning tool from the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), you can gain the knowledge you need on intellectual property according to the sector and the product or production phase in which your company is involved. In addition, the platform provides plenty of general information on what can be protected and how.

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has developed a new IP Diagnostic Tool, which allows you to receive a free report on your company’s IP rights. The process is simple. All you have to do is answer questions about the IP situation in your company in the WIPO online tool. There are several blocks of questions on topics such as innovation, trade marks, licensing and the international activities of your company. At the end of each section, you receive a report with recommendations and further information on the competitiveness of your company.

Mediation for Intellectual Property and Technology Disputes in Switzerland

The WIPO  Arbitration  and  Mediation Center  (WIPO  Center)  offers mediation,  arbitration  and  expert  determination options  to  enable  private  parties  to  efficiently  settle  their  domestic  or  cross-border commercial disputes. The WIPO Center is international and specialized in intellectual property (IP) and technology disputes. It has a strong focus on providing time- and cost-efficient proceedings.