Patent research, patents, legal support, shares and grants

Patent research, patents and shares

The aim of Holding Technopolis Twente B.V. (HTT) is to exploit commercially the knowledge, products and services of the University of Twente (UT) or to support such exploitation.

HTT does this by:

·	taking and holding participating interests;

·	supporting the entrepreneurial activities of UT students and staff;

·	acquiring and retaining intellectual property;

·	entering into joint ventures with private parties.

Research results can sometimes lead to an application, which then acquires social and commercial significance. A patent protects inventions that consist of a potentially new product or production process. The path from invention to application is very expensive. It is therefore of the utmost importance to have an instrument that safeguards any investments that have been made and makes it possible to fund further research.

UT aims to protect know-how at the university by means of legal instruments such as copyright, non-disclosure undertakings and, above all, patent law in order to be able to exploit this know-how commercially.

UT’s patent scheme regulates the manner in which a patent is obtained. In addition, the scheme includes remuneration for individual members of staff and the research group. This remuneration depends on the income achieved.

The patent procedure is described here. For more information contact the staff of HTT.

Holding Technopolis Twente B.V.

University of Twente

Gebouw Spiegel

Drienerlolaan 5, 7522 NB Enschede

P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede

Director:

Kees Eijkel

Tel: 0031 53 4893622

E-mail: c.j.m.eijkel@utwente.nl

Support:

Nancy Trip

Tel: 0031 53 4893240

Fax: 0031 53 4894898

E-mail: n.j.trip@utwente.nl

Grants

In specific cases HTT can help you to obtain grants for the start up of your company. It focuses in this connection on non-standard grant providers. These include the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Province of Overijssel.

For more information, contact:

Patrick Welman
Tel: 0031 53 4894899
E-mail: p.g.welman@utwente.nl

Legal support

If you have generated knowledge in the course of your appointment at the UT (e.g. know-how that is not yet in the public domain, an invention or knowledge in the form of software) and wish to exploit this commercially, you can contact Frank Groot. He will provide support with the following aspects:

-	carrying out of a preliminary evaluation to determine whether a presumed invention does indeed constitute an invention within the meaning of the Patents Act;

-	carrying out of a preliminary evaluation to determine whether commercial exploitation of the knowledge concerned is viable;

-	assistance with patent applications;

-	provision of information about submitting a completed patent form to the patent fund in order to obtain reimbursement of the costs of a patent application;

-	provision of information about the legal aspects of setting up a business;

-	indication of the legal and commercial conditions on which the UT would be prepared to transfer the relevant knowledge and intellectual property or grant a licence of it to the business to be set up by the researcher.

As part of the duties in connection with the last aspect Frank Groot also involves himself in the contractual negotiations and arranging for the business to be set up in the correct legal form before a notary.

For more information, contact:

Frank Groot

Tel: 0031 53 4894118

E-mail: f.groot@utwente.nl