Cooperation partners

The German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) is the central authority in the field of industrial property rights in Germany with the statutory mandate to grant and administer industrial property rights as well as to inform about already existing industrial property rights for Germany.

The European Patent Office (EPO) provides inventors a unified application procedure through which they can obtain patent protection in up to 40 European states. The Office is the executive body of the European Patent Organization and is supervised by the Administrative Council. The main task of the European Patent Office is to grant European patents.

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is an international organization with headquarter in Geneva, Switzerland. It is one of the 16 specialized agencies of the United Nations Organization. Its main tasks are: (i) Monitoring the global protection of intellectual property by promoting cooperation of the states; (ii) Administering various multilateral treaties dealing with legal and administrative aspects of intellectual property; (iii) Administration of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) and PCT applications.

The Association of German Patent Information Centers e. V. (PIZnet) is the network of patent information centers in Germany. The German patent information centers are recognized cooperation partners of the German Patent and Trademark Office and members of the European PATLIB network.

The Working Group for Information Brokers in Thuringia (AIT) focuses on the ongoing informational retrieval services for promoting further opportunities of information transfer in public and thus supporting commercial economy.

The auftakt. Founder Forum Ilmenau would like to put into practice a coordinated and comprehensive start-up support. In this way, the entrepreneurial potential at the TU Ilmenau can be exploited by raising awareness of the issues foundation/establishment and entrepreneurship, support and advice in all three phases from pre-set-up, set-up and growth phase, as well as the creation of a network especially for founders, scientists interested in setting up a company, investors, supporters, supervisors and mentors at or in close proximity to the TU Ilmenau.

The aim of the Confederacy of European Patent Information User Groups (CEPIUG) is to be a platform for cooperation for the Patent Information User Groups in Europe. Focus of the Confederacy is to subjects that are relevant to all member User Groups. Having these issues resolved by the individual member user groups would be a waste of valuable resources.

The German Society for Information & Knowledge e.V. (DGI) observes and conveys basics, work methods and technical aids, demonstrates new concepts, methods and tools for the organization and structuring of information services and science management, and represents the interests of documentalists and of all information professionals in their workplace, in public and with respect to information policy and infonomics.

The Enterprise Europe Network helps businesses innovate and grow on an international scale. It is the world’s largest support network for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with international ambitions. The Network is active in more than 60 countries worldwide. It brings together 3,000 experts from more than 600 member organisations – all renowned for their excellence in business support. Member organisations include: technology poles, innovation support organisations, universities and research institutes, regional development organisations, chambers of commerce and industry.

The Thuringian Research and Technology Network is a network of non-profit making and economy-oriented research centers in Thuringia, which sees itself as representative of the innovative small firm sector and the non-profit making research centers with respect to political, economic, scientific and public areas.

Chambers of Trade are representatives of the interests of craftsmen. They administer the trade register, the apprentices’ register, the list of experts, see to vocational training, supervise local trade associations and chambers, advise interested parties on issues concerning business start-up and stay in contact with political leaders.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Erfurt (IHK Erfurt), according to its guiding principles, focuses on and promotes member companies and sees itself as service provider for businesses. Customer orientation and customer proximity are very much the focus in all fields of competence.

The State Development Corporation of Thuringia (LEG Thüringen) proverbially prepares the terrain for companies with workplaces, manages international contacts, leverages technology opportunities and renders them usable, creates attractive places to live and improves the quality of life for Thuringia’s inhabitants, entrepreneurs and professionals. As an economic development agency, LEG undertakes marketing efforts for Thuringia, promotes and encourages technology and innovation transfer, supports the recruitment of skilled workers and provides all-in-one services to attract investors to this region in Europe’s heartland.

The European PATLIB centers of the EPO member states enable users to access patent information and related topics. They are familiar with the locally based industrial, commercial and economic conditions and provide valuable services for entrepreneurs, SMEs, individual inventors and students. There are more than 300 patent information centres in the EPO member states. The staff members of PATLIB centres are very experienced experts in patent search. Other services are, for example, monitoring technology and competitors’ development, patent statistics, patent evaluation and patent audit, advice on patent strategy/policy, provision of assistance in marketing/technology transfer as well as other IP right.

PATON is member of the European PATLIB network.

The Patent Documentation Group (PDG), registered in Switzerland, is a non-profit organisation consisting of research driven companies which utilise scientific, technical, patent and other intellectual property related information for their business.

In Germany the Association of Patent Attorneys has the status of a public corporation taking care of its own administration and the development of the profession and industrial property rights.

As an independent group, the focus of interest of the Board of Trustees for Rationalisation of the German Economy (RKW Thüringen) is on the support and improvement of the economic conditions in Thuringia. It works closely with Thuringian companies in the field of ensuring the companies’ competitiveness by continual qualification and training of staff members, as well as with new ways of organizing operating procedures. Accordingly, it provides information and innovative training and advisory services at company level. Small and medium-size companies throughout Thuringia, various institutions and organizations as well as chambers, associations and networks of the Thuringian economy are members of RWK.

Since 1993, the Foundation for Technology, Innovation and Research Thuringia (STIFT) is working to promote innovation, research and technology in Thuringia. Its objective is to tap the knowledge-based regional and endogenous potential in the Free State of Thuringia.

TransferAllianz is the German association for knowledge and technology transfer and brings together universities, national research institutions and transfer service providers in a nationwide network. TransferAllianz offers a wide variety of services ranging from exchange of experience and training courses as well as technology offers in its own Invention Store to advocacy and participating in developing the political framework.

As development bank of the Free State of Thuringia it is Thüringer Aufbaubank‘s task to support and promote the development in the fields of economy, agriculture and housing as well as environment and infrastructure by providing subsidies, loans and guarantees.

The Association of Innovative Companies has set the task of strengthening and supporting industrial research and efficient market introduction of innovations in medium-sized companies. Results of its activities are the very frequently used BMWi programs ZIM, INNO-KOM-Ost and investment subsidies for the technical infrastructure and other funding and promotion tools at Bundesland level.

The Association of Experts in the Field of Industrial Property Rights unites experts in the field of industrial property rights and primarily represents and acts in the interest of its members working in industry.