Leading European IP management provider PAVIS extends its global reach following acquisition of Swiss company IPRIS

28^th July 2020 – PAVIS, Europe’s leading IP support services provider, has today announced the acquisition of IPRIS, the IP management solutions company, as of June 2020.

Since its establishment in 2004, IPRIS has been reliably supporting companies, universities and research institutes as well as patent law firms in the efficient administration of their IP portfolios, especially with regard to annuity payments. Its worldwide coverage and the ability to react flexibly to client requirements have made IPRIS a trusted IP partner. Today, with more than 200 clients in Europe, USA and Australasia, it is one of the established service providers in the field of intellectual property, managing over 30,000 intellectual property rights in over 122 countries and completing 12,000 renewals every year.

PAVIS is one of Europe’s leading service providers in the field of intellectual property. It was established in 1980 by patent attorneys and globally serves 1,200 national and international corporates and IP law firms. Earlier this year, PAVIS became part of the IP services group NovumIP. NovumIP is a new breed of IP provider, providing a new approach to service delivery, through a modular approach to IP expertise and solutions. The acquisition is a consequence of internationalization and growth strategy of the NovumIP group. IPRIS will continue to operate as a separate company and Dr. Bruno H. Dalle Carbonare will remain CEO.

By joining PAVIS and the wider NovumIP group, IPRIS can additionally offer all its clients access to an extended service portfolio with immediate effect. This applies in particular to legal & consultancy services, but also tech-enabled solutions for the efficient management of intellectual property rights. In the medium term, all clients will also benefit from investments in new services and even more security and stability as a result of IPRIS joining a globally operating group.

Commenting on the announcement, Thomas Gruber, CEO of PAVIS, said:

“We are delighted to make this announcement to bring IPRIS via PAVIS into the NovumIP group, which we believe will be stronger as a result. IPRIS’s focus on high-quality service and customer care was an important factor in the decision and we are excited to extend our reach to access new customers, sectors and territories. IPRIS and PAVIS operate in similar ways and both value transparency and flexibility, which we know will benefit our customers greatly. Furthermore, we are looking forward to working together with IP Pragmatics Limited and Wellspring Worldwide Inc on a broader level.”

Dr. Bruno H. Dalle Carbonare, founder and CEO of IPRIS, added:

“After the vast international growth that IPRIS has undergone in the last couple of years, I am very pleased that we have found a reputable and reliable partner in PAVIS, and look forward to joining the NovumIP group. Its understanding of our business and our strong customer-focused service will help us further develop our offering and will have a very positive impact not only on IPRIS and our team, but also on our customers who will benefit from more diverse and competitive services.”

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About PAVIS

PAVIS is a leading provider of IP management services worldwide. For more than 40 years, PAVIS has been a valuable partner for patent agencies, law firms and corporate IP departments with large IP portfolios. Innovative technical solutions, well-established procedures and a high degree of automation have made PAVIS into one of the most efficient and reliable IP management service providers. PAVIS has a focus on patent annuity payments, EP validations and trademark renewal, and also handles recordals of changes to patents, trademarks and designs.

About NovumIP

NovumIP is an integrated, global IP provider that combines the excellence of business-focused consulting and the efficiency of tech-enabled services. Our smarter thinking and smarter technology help clients to achieve their strategic goals, by informing critical decisions that increase and protect IP value. Building upon the deep customer knowledge, first-rate service and rigorous attention to detail of both Novagraaf and PAVIS, NovumIP is the new global benchmark in the IP market. Find out more at www.novumip.com. 

• AUTM: 11-13 Mar 2020 | Chicago, IL
• ASTP: 27-29 May 2020 | Lisbon, Portugal
• PRAXISAURIL: 2-4 Jun 2020 | Brighton, U.K
• KCA: 10-11 Sep 2020 | Gold Coast, Australia

IPRIS will also be hosting and attending dedicated User Groups in Gold Coast, Amsterdam and Chicago, alongside our partners at Wellspring Worldwide and IP Pragmatics. Details will be provided to invitees closer to the event dates. 

We hope to get the chance to meet you at one of the many events. If you would like more information about the events or would like to schedule a meeting, please email Mat Kilbey.

For IPRIS clients, the two day agenda includes training, updates and presentations on the IPRIS-Sophia Integration, with useful learnings from existing clients and best practice tips.

We look forward to welcoming a selection of our clients from Europe as well as Asia and the Middle East. For other organisations interested in the full suite of IP management solutions offered by the partnerships, invitations may be available via special request. Please email Mathew Kilbey at [email protected].

Lara is a qualified biochemist with a Masters degree in Intellectual Property Management from Queen Mary University in London and has previously been involved in the expansion of the IPRIS renewals service in South Africa.

The exclusive partnership will expand IPRIS’ network beyond patent and trademark renewals and enable the company to offer a full suite of renewals for all eligible forms of intellectual property including Plant Breeder’s Rights. Dr Jonathan Snape, Head of James Hutton Ltd, said “ We are delighted to be working with IPRIS and combining our expertise to enable us to offer a comprehensive range of services to our clients.”

If you are attending the conference and are interested seeing the IPRIS software solutions, please drop by the booth 207. Alternatively, please email [email protected] to arrange a demo.

The joint offering will provide organizations with a comprehensive solution to support the entire lifecycle of IP management and technology transfer for start-ups, SME’s, universities, and research institutions.

The partnership will deliver patent, trademark and design renewal payments to Wellspring’s global software clients through an integrated renewals system. Moreover, IP Pragmatics will also represent Wellspring as a direct channel partner in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, offering Wellspring software to interested parties in these markets.

Wellspring clients will benefit from access to IPRIS and IP Pragmatics’ renewal expertise, and tech transfer offices in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand will also have greater access to Wellspring’s software solutions via the IP Pragmatics global consultancy team.

Patent and trademark renewals are critical to safeguarding valuable IP rights, and missing a single renewal deadline can lead to lost protection and severe financial risk. With over 14 years of experience managing renewal payments, IPRIS provides industry-leading assurance standards and expertise. They are trusted by over 200 clients large and small to protect critical patent, design and trademark renewals. IPRIS’ renewals service also includes extensive patent and trademark data verification to identify inaccuracies, confirm due dates, and forecast costs.

IP Pragmatics CEO Dr. Rupert Osborn commented: "IP Pragmatics is proud to partner with Wellspring to address client needs. Wellspring provides the software infrastructure necessary to manage successful technology transfer and IP operations. Our combined services multiply the value of an organization's research activities by providing highly efficient IP management and peace of mind that intellectual assets are protected."

Chairman of the IPRIS board Dr. Bruno Dalle Carbonare commented “We are pleased to partner with Wellspring and offer our leading IP renewals web portal and services to Wellspring clients. IPRIS is pleased to add value to Wellspring’s existing IP software offering by enabling clients to have increased visibility and control of their IP renewals management.”

Dr. Robert Lowe, CEO at Wellspring, added: "With today's announcement, Wellspring clients can easily deal with the complexity of all the global authorities regarding their patent and trademark annuities through one software solution. IPRIS offers the convenience to track and make payments so that organizations do not have to worry about losing protection. Wellspring now more than ever enables our clients to capitalize on their knowledge assets, while safeguarding their intellectual asset value."

About Wellspring

Wellspring is the global leader in technology transfer and technology scouting software. Organizations rely on Wellspring to manage the identification, evaluation, and acquisition of technologies, partners, and investments.

Founded in 2003 as a spin-out of Carnegie Mellon University, Wellspring works with more than 500 organizations worldwide to support tech scouting, IP protection, commercialization, and licensing of emerging technologies. For more information, please visit wellspring.com.

About IPRIS

IPRIS founded in 2004 as a spin-off from a university tech transfer office, focuses its activities on the administration and management of intellectual property rights especially the payments of annuity fees but also nationalization and validation of patents

Today IPRIS’ clients include a large number of leading universities through to SMEs across a range of technology related sectors.

About IP Pragmatics

IP Pragmatics is a management consultancy specializing in scientific technologies and intellectual property since 2000. The company is headquartered in London with offices in Scotland and Australia. We also have strategic partners in North America, Japan, South Africa and South Korea.

The company works with universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprise and public sector organisations in over 20 countries. For more information, please visit ip-pragmatics.com.

Contact

IP Pragmatics

Global Enquiries: 
Ronnie Georghiou
[email protected] 
T: +44(0)203 176 0580.

North America Enquiries: 
Bansi Pattni
[email protected] 
T: +1 (226) 978-0578

IPRIS
Dr. Bruno Dalle Carbonare 
[email protected] 
T: +41 61 270 88 01

Wellspring
Brad Cain
[email protected]
T: +1 (312) 643-5100

As part of IP Pragmatics’ and IPRIS AG’s decade long partnership, the IPRIS marketing, sales and customer services team continues to grow to assure expert, responsive customer service and a top-tier web portal that supports IPRIS clients’ globally with their patent, design and trade mark renewal requirements.

Mat is an experienced formalities officer, who joins IP Pragmatics from a leading London law firm and two previous long-term, client facing renewals roles at leading UK and European Patent and Trademark Attorney firms. Mat holds the CITMA and CIPA Administrators Certificates and joins the IPRIS team in London as the Customer Services IP Manager.

Alongside the IPRIS team, we have been acting on this valuable feedback to implement a range of updates to the IPRIS portal. The first round of these changes will be going live this month with the second round due to be rolled out in February.

The new functionality will enable clients to upload data directly via the portal and gives them greater control over automatic renewals and cost forecasting. IP Pragmatics’ Director of Services, Ronnie Georghiou, says that “both teams are excited about the changes and are looking forward to seeing how they benefit new and existing IPRIS clients”.

Lara is based in Cape Town and together with the teams in London and Basel, she will help extend IPRIS’ patent, trademark and design renewal services to leading South African universities, research institutes, SMEs and IP firms.

Lara holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Biochemistry from Rhodes University in South Africa and a Masters degree in the Management of Intellectual Property from Queen Mary University in London.

She has over eight years’ experience of commercialisation in the life sciences and reagents market; specializing in the fields of molecular biology, medical science, R&D and veterinary science. Lara’s background and experience will be a valuable addition to IP Pragmatics as well as IPRIS.

“We are delighted to welcome Lara to the IPRIS team and look forward to offering our client centred and high value patent, design and trademark renewals portal and service to new clients in South Africa, with local support in Cape Town” said Ronnie Georghiou, Executive Director, Services at IP Pragmatics.

If you are based in South Africa and would like more information on global patent renewals, European patent validation or any other IPRIS services, please email Lara

IPRIS AG is an intellectual property management company which provides renewals services for patents, trademarks and design rights as well as PCT nationalisation and European validation services. A joint venture was formed between IP Pragmatics and IPRIS in 2005 in order to expand IPRIS’ portfolio of services in the U.K., Europe, Australia and New Zealand and build on their existing global client base.

Minjoon Kim is an experienced business consultant with a track record of working with innovative multinationals and SMEs to exploit their tangible and intangible assets. As a diligent, business development expert who has worked in the US and Korea, Minjoon Kim understands the importance of high-quality business development and customer service.

“We are confident that together with Mr Minjoon Kim, we can offer a high-quality, competitive renewals service and excellent customer support to new Clients in South Korea. This builds on our experience of a successful and ongoing IPRIS venture into Australia and New Zealand since 2010” said Ronnie Georghiou, Executive Director, Services at IP Pragmatics.

“We are confident that together with Mr Minjoon Kim, we can offer a high-quality, competitive renewals service and excellent customer support to new Clients in South Korea. This builds on our experience of a successful and ongoing IPRIS venture into Australia and New Zealand since 2010” said Ronnie Georghiou, Executive Director, Services at IP Pragmatics.

If you are based in Korea and would like more information on global patent renewals, European patent validation or any other IPRIS services, please email [email protected].

Notes for editors:
About IPRIS AG (www.iprisglobal.com)
Established in Basel, Switzerland in 2004, IPRIS AG is a global services provider of IPR renewals, PCT nationalisation and European validation services to companies, organisations and IP law firms.

Through a decade-long marketing partnership with IP Pragmatics Limited, IPRIS is able to offer centralised, complete control of its clients’ patent, design and trademark renewals with unrivalled service quality and expertise.

About IP Pragmatics (www.ip-pragmatics.com)
Established in London in 2000, IP Pragmatics is a UK-headquartered management consultancy specialising in intellectual property and technology with offices in London, Edinburgh and Sydney.

The IP Pragmatics team has in-depth technical, commercial and intellectual property knowledge and experience. They work with a wide range of different organisations from public sector organisations and universities through to SMEs and large multinational companies both in the UK and internationally.

Jon holds a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics from the University of New South Wales, a Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Hons) from the University of Tasmania and a Graduate Certificate in Innovation and Enterprise from the University of Sydney.

He has over six years’ experience of commercialisation in the medical and biotech fields, especially in clinical research, medical and regulatory affairs and new product development. Jon’s background and experience will be a valuable addition to IP Pragmatics as well as IPRIS.

If you are based in Australia or New Zealand and are interested in IPRIS patent and trademark renewals, please email Jon.

IPRIS now services a number of leading universities, research institutes, SMEs and IP firms in the region. Following a successful spell in Sydney, Ronnie has joined the team in London to build on his experience and support the team with the promotion and support of IPRIS in the UK and beyond.

Below is an overview of the changes so far this year:

Flexible renewal notifications

The new system gives clients control of renewal notifications as they can choose:

• When to receive notification emails and renewal reminders
• Whether to receive the emails per family or by due date

Flexible invoicing

When ordering renewals, clients can choose to be invoiced by family, by date or by order. Purchase order numbers can also be included in the invoices with several different options.

The option to use purchase order numbers and set a default if required. If the purchase orders are different depending on the patent family, they can be assigned during the ordering process. Previously entered purchase orders will be stored and made available in the purchase order drop-down menus on the order confirmation page. The purchase order numbers will automatically be included in your invoices.

Download the Flexible Invoicing PDF for more details.

Flexible searching

A keyword search field has been added for more flexible searching. The search mimics the Ctrl-F feature and allows you to search for any combination of numbers and letters within your portfolio.

Customisable view

A personal ‘My Settings’ page now gives the client greater control over their account: the patent details they would like displayed, when they receive notifications and the currency in which their renewals are viewed.

The web app now has filters which enable relevant groups of patents to be identified and sorted with the option to export the data to an Excel spreadsheet. Additionally, the clients have the option to customise the case view allowing them to manage their patent portfolio according to their own needs and effectively use it as a patent database.

We have also included some useful extras such as the ability to filter your patents by Country and IP Type, persistent column headings and the ability to sort the data by any column through clicking on the column title.

Delaying renewals

For each upcoming renewal, a table showing the cost of delaying is now displayed. This allows users to anticipate late fees and to know the cost of delaying a renewal before the decision is made. E.g., the cost of making the decision to renew 14 days or less before the deadline which include the late fee, as well as the cost of subsequent payments when further late fees have been added.

When delaying a renewal, the date on which the grace period ends is now displayed on the order confirmation page before the instructions are sent. In the even that a renewal is delayed, the end of the grace period date is clearly stated within the notification email as well as under the patent action for that renewal on the homepage of the online portal.

Intention to grant notification alerts

As part of the European validation services offered by IPRIS, we monitor when the European Patent Office sends the Intention to Grant notification for any of your European patent applications for which we processes renewals. These details are available for you to see on your homepage so you can prepare for the validation phase and request a quote.

We have embedded a tool which monitors the receipt of Intention to Grant notifications for European applications within the portfolio as soon as the EPO issues them. The client is notified instantly allowing them to prepare for validations.

Adam comments: ‘Having spent three years growing the business of Patrafee UK, which was primarily concerned with renewals, I think I am well placed to develop the IPRIS service offering for clients. Our focus will be on differentiating our service from the competition by providing real value through our service offering. IPRIS already has established an enviable track record for serving clients well with their combination of fair and transparent pricing, dedicated point of contact for customer service and the IPRIS web app. I look forward to this continuing and improving’.