Who we are Novagraaf is an international patent and trademark consultancy firm that assists clients with all their intellectual property (IP) strategy and management needs. Our expertise and day-to-day work includes advising on new ideas, discoveries and inventions, on protecting new brands and innovative new products, and on creating and exploiting strong patent and trademark portfolios. Whether patents, trademarks, designs, domain names and copyright, Novagraaf specialises in the global protection and management of IP rights, including identifying abuse and acting decisively if and when infringement takes place. Heritage With more than 125 years of experience, we have a long and distinguished heritage in the IP field, but we don t rest on our laurels. We re constantly innovating and looking for new technology to provide clients with tailored and intelligent solutions to help them to protect, manage, enforce and exploit their IP rights worldwide. Across our 14 offices in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, our team of more than 350 IP professionals consult on a wide variety of IP challenges every day. Our clients include innovative start-ups and small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), organisations operating at national and international level, and multinationals with major global brand and technology portfolios. Why not talk to us today to find out how we could help you? our road to market leadership Foundation of Van der Graaf & Co Trademark Departement Markgraaf acquires J.E. Evans Jackson & Co in the United Kingdom Merger of Markgraaf with French company Novamark resulted in creation of Novagraaf Novagraaf acquires Bredema Management in France Novagraaf celebrates 125 th anniversary 1888 1993 2000 2008 2013 1978 1997 2000 2002 2008 2013 Name change to Markgraaf to underline international ambitions Markgraaf` acquires William A. Shepherd in the United Kingdom Novagraaf acquires William Blanc in Switzerland Novagraaf acquires Cabinet Baillot, a French IP practice based in Paris Novagraaf acquires Hillgate Patent Services in the United Kingdom Novagraaf retains its position as market leader (WIPO and CTM) 2
Our world is full of opportunities for innovative businesses Why we are different Whatever their needs, we offer all our clients a tailored and cost-efficient solution, but it s in our DNA to think beyond the provision of services alone. Our consultants function as strategic business partners and will work with you to understand your business s IP needs from the inside out. What we believe We believe that IP is a key corporate asset that, if adequately managed as part of an overall business strategy, will deliver shareholder value and create company growth. For many of the world s leading companies, as much as 90% of corporate value is derived from the value of intangible assets, of which IP is the main component. We believe that all companies, whether SME or multinational, can better capture and exploit their intangible assets to increase their own corporate value. By integrating IP into their overall business strategy and by raising IP awareness within their business units, companies can develop stronger IP assets, optimise their existing IP rights, streamline and consolidate their approach to IP management, and reduce the total cost of their IP ownership. How we can help you Our fast-paced and technology-rich world is full of opportunities for innovative businesses, no matter their size or market. But, they face a number of new and growing threats too; for example, the risks to their products, services and bottom line posed by imitation, counterfeiting and other forms of IP theft and infringement, particularly online. To fully take advantage of the business opportunities while sidestepping the hurdles, it s imperative for companies to properly and appropriately protect their IP rights. However, it s not an easy task to keep up with the pace of change in many sectors, nor is it simple to keep on top of the ever evolving landscape of IP legislation and practice. With developments occurring at such an accelerated pace, it s essential to partner with an IP expert, who can make the right choices with you; a strategic partner, such as Novagraaf, who can advise, inform and help to guide your IP strategy, so that it is fit for purpose in this competitive era. Our role is to assist you in your efforts to create, protect and enforce strong patent, trademark, design and domain name portfolios, and we will partner with you to develop an IP strategy that best fits your needs. Not only will Novagraaf provide you with the full range of national and international IP management services, but you ll also be able to rely on our consultants wider expertise and experience. With our state-of-the-art software systems, processes and solutions, we look beyond current challenges at a more coherent future IP management strategy. We provide a global reach with a local focus, which means that you can benefit from our size and expertise no matter your size or particular needs. Together, we will prepare your company today for the challenges of tomorrow. 3
Our services Novagraaf offers a complete package of services to help you to protect your IP assets across national and international markets. From trademarks and patents to designs, domain names and copyright, we work with our clients to help create, register, protect, enforce and manage their IP across the full life cycle of IP rights. Our network of offices covers Europe s most important jurisdictions, while our robust and managed network of agents extends to more than 190 countries around the world. With 125 years of heritage and experience, Novagraaf is a truly global player in the field of IP. Any business, no matter its size, will have invested time, energy and money into creating its brand and positioning. Yet, many businesses still overlook the need to register their company, brand and product names as trademarks, and the importance of protecting them from infringement. In order to identify and counter trademark infringement in a timely manner, it s crucial to adopt an active trademark strategy to monitor your trademarks once they have been registered. Novagraaf advises its clients throughout the entire cycle of brand protection, from trademark development and registration to trademark protection and enforcement. We have the pedigree to back this up: we are the number one filer of trademark rights at the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and the number one filer of Community Trade Mark (CTM) rights at the Office for Harmonization of the Internal Market (OHIM). Anti-counterfeiting Legal advice Representation Trademark searching Trademark registration Customs Trademark reports Strategy Trademark renewals Training Enforcement and defence Valuation Trademark watching Assignments National registrations Audits Community trademarks (CTM) Cancellations Infringement Searching International registrations Oppositions Licensing Co-existence agreements Mediation Transfer pricing Portfolio management Trademarks 4
New R&D models require new approaches to IP Novagraaf supports clients throughout the innovation and patent cycle: from invention spotting and patent drafting to licensing, due diligence and sale. Our patent attorneys have a strong commercial focus and scientific and/or technical background in addition to their expertise in national and international patent laws. This enables them to provide specialist support and advice to SMEs, large corporations, lone inventors, IP departments, universities and research institutes in a variety of industries and sectors. Our consultants can help you to identify patentable technology, to search the market for conflicting innovations, and to put in place patents robust filing, protection and enforcement strategies. We protect innovation wherever it occurs, but have particular expertise within the life sciences, biotech, electronics and physics, mechanical engineering, and green technology sectors. Patents Patent searching Training Invention spotting Translation Strategy Representation Due diligence Enforcement and defence Audits Patent portfolio development and strategy Infringement Searching EPs and PCTs Anti-counterfeiting Search and examination reports Technology mapping Formalities Drafting, Filing and Prosecution SPCs Portfolio management Freedom-to-operate Opinions Patent renewals/annuities Licensing and assignments Collaborative (open) innovation 5
And there s more Strategy Investing in innovation is a key part of most business strategies. In general, sales and profits can be traced to the visibility of a company s brand or innovation, so the IP rights that protect them represent an important independent commercial value to a company. Regardless of your company or industry, it s essential that you protect your brand and your products from infringement. To do this, you need an effective national and international IP strategy. An IP strategy that is tailored to your business s needs. This will help you to perform better in the market and stand out against your competitors. Novagraaf will not only help you to protect and manage your IP, but we ll also work with you to make the right strategic choices to secure for you a lasting, profitable and distinctive market position. Anti-counterfeiting The circulation of counterfeit products is a global problem that requires an integrated solution. Novagraaf believes that the best way to fight the trade in fakes is to integrate your anti-counterfeiting strategy into your overall business strategy and tackle the problem head-on. You can t simply challenge pockets of counterfeit activity and react to one-off problems by taking on-the-spot action without looking at the bigger picture. Instead, you need to create a business-wide anti-counterfeiting strategy that supports a proactive, rather than reactive, approach. We will work with you to build a tailored and effective anti-counterfeiting strategy that supports the right choices and actions, and achieves concrete results. Design Novagraaf will work with you to protect the unique designs of your products. This will enable you to seek legal redress against third parties that attempt to register or launch a product with an infringing design. They shouldn t be allowed to benefit from your creativity and hard work. At a time when counterfeiting is rife, design protection provides a valuable tool to achieve this. Our consultants are experts in designs and model law, and will work with you to create a secure portfolio to protect the look and feel of your products. 6
Copyright Every day, thousands of books are written, millions of photographs are taken, art is created and new music is composed. But, just as regularly, copyright is being infringed and photographs, art and music are illegally copied, downloaded and distributed online. In principle, copyright law protects the creation of new artistic and literary works and guarantees payment and/or credit to its creator if it is used. Novagraaf is an expert in copyright protection. We know how to deal with instances of plagiarism, copying and/or illegal downloads, and can work with you to identify and stop the misuse of your copyrights. Domain names Just as patents, trademarks and designs are valuable assets that should be protected, so too should you consider registering your company and brand names as domain names. Domain names are a considerable part of a company s IP portfolio, so it s important to handle their management with care. Novagraaf won t just assist you with registration, we ll also work with you to develop an effective management strategy by providing tailored advice on domain name availability, searching and watching, as well as assistance on the purchase of domain names and their variants in all relevant domains. IP monitoring tools The web has changed the way in which we all do business. Information is exchanged ever more rapidly and new (virtual) markets and content platforms are created online. In this fast-moving environment, it s essential that you have the right tools and support to monitor and manage your IP. Novagraaf can provide you with a tailored solution to all these questions and challenges, and many more. Our online monitoring tools will arm you with the information that you need to better align your future decisions, while our IP management tools and audit services will give you greater insight into the health and status of your IP rights. 7
What our clients say about us The difference between Novagraaf and other IP firms I have worked with is that they look at IP with a true entrepreneurial view and manage to put all separate IP aspects together in one IP strategy that is closely aligned with our company's overall strategy. In this respect I consider Novagraaf a really strategic partner, more than just an external consultant. Floriska Hoogendoorn Director, Royalty Bugaboo GmbH I really appreciate Novagraaf s customised and professional service, and their willingness to really listen to our needs and act upon them. Philippe VANDEUREN Legal Director, Global IP and Procurement ABInBev Novagraaf is a truly international one stop IP firm. It understands our business strategy, our needs and our internal dynamics. I don't feel like a customer with Novagraaf; instead it feels as if we are all part of the same team a team with the same ambition and the same drive. Frans FONTEIN Managing Director, Double Eagle Brands, Ketel One Vodka Novagraaf has approached our relationship in a professional and client-friendly way enabling our Club to assess its needs and address its concerns with clarity and forward thinking. This has greatly helped us shape our brand protection for the future proactively. Svenja Geissmar General Counsel, Arsenal Football Club We d like to thank our other 50,000 clients for making us who we are. They keep us focused and support our success, and have done so, every minute and every day since 1888! MAIN OFFICES IN AMSTERDAM, BRUSSELS, 8 GENEVA, LONDON AND PARIS www.novagraaf.com