IP Protection

IP Protection refers to the process in which protection for your invention/technology is sought to increase the value of such invention/Technology to encourage third party interest in commercialization.

Patent protection, for example, begins with the filing of a patent application with INPI (Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial). Once a patent application has been filed, it will require several years and tens of thousands of Euros to obtain issued national, European or other foreign patents (granted patents).

There are also other protection options (see section Intellectual Property Rights).

IRIS human resources, with scientific background, are trained for Intellectual Property (management, drafting, maintenance etc) with INPI, EPO (European Patent Office), WIPO and IPR Helpdesk. Indeed, IRIS is a GAPI (Gabinete de Apoio à Propriedade Industrial) a network supported by INPI and a PATLIB, a network supported by EPO.

GAPI – GAPI | INPI.Justiça.gov.pt (justica.gov.pt)

PATLIB – EPO – Centres by country

This means that IRIS is knowledgeable of the national and European process of patenting an invention and can provide information and strategical recommendations aiming at the best IP protection possible to maximize the value of the invention/technology and its valorisation, or, in other words, to maximize the social and economic impact of the knowledge you have generated.

Nonetheless, the process of drafting a patent is an art and highly dependent on the scientific background of the person that will be drafting the document. Hence, there are specialized firms that accessorize universities and companies in the drafting, application, and maintenance of patent applications. In English, these firms and called patent attorneys; in Portuguese these agents are known by Agentes Oficiais da Propriedade Industrial (AOPI). IRIS has developed a close connection to several AOPI firms in Portugal that are outsourced to draft NOVA School of Science and Technology and NOVA.ID.FCT inventions/technologies.

IRIS does not draft patent applications. IRIS may review the formal requisites to fille a patent application in INPI but does not guarantee fit for purpose. A poorly written patent application may hinder any attempts of commercializing that technology in the future. Also, as patent applications will be public, it is also important that the patent is well written to increase the prestige and reputation of the School and of your CV.

IRIS is the point of contact between inventors and AOPIS. We follow the process of patenting, accessorizing the inventors in the decisions of the patenting process always taking into account the final goal, which is the transfer to market. Only through IRIS can you hire an AOPI firm since we are NOVA.ID.FCT’s IP and Tech Transfer Office  and also the point of contact with NOVA University Lisbon central IP office – NOVA Impact –, informing (and managing) each institution of their IP assets, costs and potential benefits obtained from exploitation activities.

To hire an AOPI through IRIS, is mandatory to send to IRIS the Order Request (i.e. “Nota de Encomenda”). If the Order Request is not sent on time to IRIS, the process will not be hired and your patent application may be refused by the national offices.