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For Companies
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For Universities
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For Founders
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For Inventors
Companies
Unternehmen – EnglischBeraten – EnglischAdvise
EZN is at your side from the very beginning to advising you with regard to the development of new products and processes. You concentrate on the development, while we support you comprehensively regarding the technical and economical realization.
EZN's consulting services include advice on strategic approaches and the financial and technical expenditure, information on funding opportunities, research on the market, the state of the art and industrial property rights (patents, utility models, trademarks, designs) and the mediation of advantageous contacts. In your stead, EZN determines what the innovation is worth and how it can be marketed at home and abroad.
Please contact us and arrange a consultation appointment!
We will be happy to inform you about the funding programmes go-innovativ, ZIM and WIPANO of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (BMWi).
Evaluate
Since 1981, EZN has been evaluating technologies according to a five-point programme:
We look at your innovation project from all angles and examine its technical feasibility, innovative value, technical and economic advantages as well as the planned entrepreneurial implementation. This enables us to assess whether investments in the development, protection and marketing of your technology are worthwhile. Finally, we make our results available to you in written form, e.g. as a research for the SIGNO-PIZ standard "Research", as a cost-benefit analysis or potential analysis for funding plans or as an expert report for banks. The application of the SIGNO standard "Patent Value", which EZN developed in collaboration with other institutions upon the initiative of the German Economic Institute, Cologne, creates transparency and comparability regarding expert opinions.
Protect
When a great idea no longer only exists in the mind and at the latest before a new development is presented publicly for the first time, it needs to be protected sufficiently. EZN can make all the necessary arrangements: Searches on the state of the art and on industrial property rights, objective evaluation of the prospects of patenting, development of an application strategy, advice on the selection of suitable patent agents, planning of the costs for the application, both nationally and internationally. As your innovation should remain your innovation, confidentiality agreements are a matter of course.
Market
Sometimes, the economic implementation of a promising new development into a successful innovation takes several years. EZN supports you right from the start in the technical and economic implementation so that no time is lost. For this purpose, we use all relevant channels: from the initiation and conception of a development project to the submission of grant applications and the accompaniment of research and development through to the construction of prototypes.
As soon as a technology is sufficiently protected, EZN supports your company in its marketing, e.g. by presenting it at international trade fairs. With EZN’s support, industrial property rights can be commercially marketed by means of licenses.
Fund
We know exactly what can be promoted and where funds are available. EZN can undertake the entire funding process and ensure that innovations receive the best possible funding. The funding programmes go-innovativ and WIPANO of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (BMWi) are particularly interesting for companies.
Exciting technologies and the latest research results from universities which could advance processes and innovations in your company as well, are evaluated by EZN and made available to you in our "Innoland" database – entirely in the spirit of knowledge and technology transfer. To the database
Universities
Hochschulen – EnglischBeraten – EnglischAdvise
EZN provides comprehensive and intensive consulting services for the service inventors and the responsible departments at the universities.
The focus of the consultation provided for university inventors is on specific questions and the individual situation of the respective scientist. The advisory service includes, among other things, information on how to deal with inventions, references to the Employee Invention Act and to the submission of the invention disclosure, explanations of patenting strategies and processes, and information on industrial property rights and the marketing of protected research results.
Evaluate
EZN takes over the professional evaluation of a service invention with regard to patentability and marketability. For a sound recommendation for release or utilisation, we examine the service invention from all angles. We evaluate the chances of a patent being granted and the prospects of an economic marketing of the property rights via licenses or sale. Finally, we make our results available to the university as a statement in written form, with a recommendation for claiming or releasing the service invention.
Protect
EZN takes over the entire management of intellectual property rights: elaboration of both a national and international patent strategy, commissioning suitable patent agents to attend to the application, supervision and support of the patenting process, from the patent application to the grant and maintenance with regard to costs and deadlines. EZN regularly reviews the status of an IP right and recommends the university to continue or relinquish certain intellectual property rights.
Found
EZN supports universities in implementing and further developing their strategy for marketing patents through licenses. One opportunity of marketing is linked to the university inventors, i.e. if they themselves seek to use their service inventions to found a company. EZN advises and supports the university, among other things, in awarding the rights of use to the founders.
EZN also provides advice and support after the foundation has taken place.
Market
As a patent utilisation agency, EZN supports universities in marketing their intellectual property rights. This includes the development of marketing strategies, comprehensive market research and the search for potential licensees. EZN prepares technology offers for interested companies as well as synopses and posters, which are published in appropriate technology database, and presented at trade fairs and exhibitions. In the case of licence agreements, EZN accompanies the negotiations and monitors the contracts for the university.
Technology Offers
Current technology offers of protected research results from universities are published by EZN in our database – entirely in the spirit of knowledge and technology transfer. Have a look!
Founders
Gründer – EnglischBeraten – EnglischAdvise
The range of consulting services includes advice on a strategic approach as well as the mediation of advantageous contacts and funding opportunities, while taking into account the general economic conditions. The focus is on specific questions and the individual situation:
- What do I need to consider when founding a company?
- Which risks are to be expected?
- What financial expenditure is to be expected?
- Which funding opportunities are available?
- What is a technology worth?
- How is the innovation protected?
Please contact us and arrange a consultation appointment!
If you would like more profound advice, we will be happy to inform you about the range of consulting services we offer as well as suitable funding programs.
Evaluate
EZN offers an objective evaluation of your start-up project and your innovation: We examine your project from all angles and analyse the state of the art, the technical feasibility, the entrepreneurial constraints in the company to be founded, and the market. In this way, we evaluate the opportunities and risks of founding a company and weigh whether investing in the founding of a company is worthwhile. Finally, we make our results available to you in written form – also as expert reports, e.g. for banks and financing companies. The utilisation of the SIGNO standard "Patentwert", which EZN developed in collaboration with Fraunhofer, Steinbeis, IMG and Intracom upon the initiative of the German Economic Institute, Cologne, creates transparency and comparability.
Protect
When an idea no longer only exists in the mind, it needs to be protected sufficiently. EZN can make all the necessary arrangements: We work with patent agents to secure intellectual property rights, both nationally and internationally, as well as supervise and accompany all patenting procedures.
As your innovation should remain your innovation, confidentiality agreements are a matter of course.
Business Plan
EZN supports you in creating a business plan. Due to our many years of experience in advising founders, we know the relevant framework conditions. EZN's experts hold qualifications in engineering disciplines and draw on extensive professional experience, ideally combined with business and commercial skills as well as legal understanding.
Fund
We know exactly what can be promoted and where funds are available. EZN can undertake the entire funding process and ensure that your project receives the best possible funding.
Networks
Inventors
Erfinder – EnglischBeraten – EnglischAdvise
EZN's consulting services include information on industrial property rights (patent, trademark, utility model or design) and advice on strategic approaches as well as the mediation of advantageous contacts and funding opportunities, while taking into account the general economic conditions. The focus is on specific questions and the individual situation:
- How do I protect my idea?
- What is the value of my invention?
- How do I market my idea at home and abroad?
- Which funding opportunities are available to me?
- What financial expenditure can I expect?
Please contact us and arrange a consultation appointment!
Evaluate
EZN objectively evaluates your invention according to a five-point programme:
We look at your idea from all angles and analyse its technical feasibility, innovative value, technical and economic advantages and entrepreneurial implementation. In so doing, we assess the opportunities and risks of commercial utilisation and weigh whether investing in the marketing of a technology is worthwhile. Finally, we make our results available to you in written form, e.g. for grant applications or as expert reports for banks and other financing companies. The application of the SIGNO standard "Patent Value", which EZN developed in collaboration with other institutions upon the initiative of the German Economic Institute, Cologne, creates transparency and comparability regarding expert opinions.
Protect
When an idea no longer only exists in the mind, it needs to be protected sufficiently. EZN can make all the necessary arrangements: In collaboration with patent agents, we can take care of the protection of intellectual property rights, both nationally and internationally, as well as supervise and accompany all patenting procedures.
As your innovation should remain your innovation, confidentiality agreements are a matter of course.
Found
EZN can provide you with comprehensive support on your way from private inventor to company founder. With decades of experience in the implementation of start-up projects, we can, for instance, assist you with the presentation of your company at trade fairs or by preparing expert reports.
Market
The implementation of a good idea up until a product ready to be offered can take several years. So that no time is lost, EZN supports you right from the start in the economic implementation and marketing. For this purpose, we use all relevant channels: from the initiation and conception of your development project to the application for subsidies and the support of your research and development to the construction of a prototype.
With EZN’s assistance, sufficiently protected technologies can be presented to a large audience at international trade fairs. With EZN’s support, industrial property rights can be marketed by means of licenses.
Funding
We know exactly what can be promoted and where funds are available. EZN can undertake the entire funding process and ensure that your invention receives the best possible funding.
WIPANO: Patents and Standards
Through the “WIPANO – Knowledge and Technology Transfer through Patents and Standards” funding programme, successor to the SIGNO programme, companies receive grants for knowledge and technology transfer through patents and standards. The WIPANO programme supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by initially securing their results from research and development with industrial property rights in the funding priority “Enterprise”. Like the previous funding programme SIGNO, the new programme aims to provide financial support for the registration and marketing of industrial property rights (patents and utility models).
At EZN, you can obtain information about the operational value of a patent and receive a concrete “roadmap to a patent” for your individual application. EZN will be your competent partner throughout the entire process related to industrial property rights over a period of 24 months. Please do not hesitate to contact us. We have compiled further information on the WIPANO support programme page.
At a regular information event (see Dates), EZN provides information about the WIPANO funding programme and the application process.
go-innovativ
The go-innovativ programme of the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) promotes the preparation and implementation of product and technical process innovations. BMWi’s innovation vouchers cover 50 percent of your expenses for external services by companies authorised by the BMWi. Your company only pays its own contribution. As an authorised service company, EZN is your contact for the go-innovativ programme. EZN is responsible for all administrative matters.
Development and Implementation of an Integrated Patent Management System
The project’s aim is the development of a new process for a user-oriented holistic invention and patent management. With regard to digitisation, a new process is to be developed which should meet the strict requirements for secrecy and security in the invention and patent system. The new system solution can likewise be used for future developments and new improved services. This project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
TEMACON
TEMACON sees itself as a special service offered by EZN for professional innovation projects and international marketing. On the way from the idea to the successful marketing of new products and processes, numerous unavoidable hurdles have to be overcome. In the selection of technology, its timely protection against competitors and imitators, its development and market launch, every single step must be part of a coherent strategy. We support and accompany you so that your technology makes the leap into national and international markets as well and is able to establish itself successfully; everything, so that you too can write an entrepreneurial success story.
