Innovation Europe > News > Innovation EU Vol2-1 > Kolster Oy Ab

Solveig Nylund

Kolster Oy Ab - Protecting bio innovations is our business

Finland is paving the way for research in the fields of biosciences and functional foods. Kolster Oy Ab is a pioneer in protecting innovations not merely in bio and gene technology, immunology and food chemistry, but also in bioinformatics and nanotechnology, according to Solveig Nylund, Kolster Oy Ab.

Kolster Oy Ab is a team of experts specialising in intellectual property rights. We have perfected our expertise in the area for over 135 years, making Kolster Oy Ab the most experienced IPR specialist in Finland. Kolster Oy Ab employs more than 180 IPR professionals, of which over 50 are attorneys specialised in biotech and chemistry, ICT, mechanical and electrical engineering, trademarks, design rights, Internet domain names and IP legal services, such as IPR enforcement.

In addition to the Kolster Oy Ab drafting and prosecution service, Kolster Oy Ab provide a wide variety of searches, surveys and opinions related to our customers’ operations in Europe, such as novelty searches, competitor surveys and watching services, patentability opinions, freedom-to-operate assessments and due diligence surveys. Furthermore, Kolster Oy Ab provide expert assistance related to licensing issues and patent disputes.

Star performers in patenting high-technology

According to the World Economic Forum (World Competitiveness Report 2008-2009), Finland is one of the world’s top countries in innovation. Finland is ranked the world’s number one in terms of higher education and the availability of scientists and engineers, and it leads other Nordic countries in patenting.

Finland being a world leader in high-technology patents, Kolster’s attorneys are used to working with high-technology fields, such as biotechnology and ICT. Kolster Oy Ab attorneys have been among the pioneers at the international level in drafting patent applications relating to gene technology since as far back as the mid-1980s, and lately in establishing interdisciplinary patent teams consisting of experts in biotechnology, information technology and nanotechnology.

Kolster Oy Ab has gathered a great deal of experience in protecting biotechnology applications, most recently in the use of stem cells in diagnostics, micro arrays in cancer therapy and diagnostics, and probiotics in the food industry.

Kolster Oy Ab prosecute patent cases for pharmaceuticals, as well as for traditional and functional food products and production methods. Internationally valued innovations where Kolster Oy Ab has acted as IP partner include a vaccine against HIV, a method to produce xylitol including many health and dental benefits, biodegradable and bioactive implants for surgical care, and several applications of functional foods and other products, including microorganisms or betaine to promote health.

European patent, trademark and design attorneys

The majority of Kolster Oy Ab attorneys are registered European Patent, Trademark or Design Attorneys entitled to act before the European IP authorities at all stages from filing to opposition and appeal. Similarly, we can represent our clients directly before the Finnish Patent Office and the PCT authorities.

Our company’s long and rich experience makes Kolster Oy Ab a highly competitive partner in IP matters regarding dealings with the EPO and the OHIM. Kolster Oy Ab has successfully prosecuted oppositions, appeals and related oral proceedings at the European Patent Office.

Experience generates competitiveness

Finnish companies are intensively filing patents abroad. For Kolster Oy Ab, this means a remarkable amount of international filings – and a solid knowledge and quality base for our international services. Kolster Oy Ab files some 2,000 to 2,500 patent applications worldwide every year, over 10% of them with the EPO.

As the biggest IP service provider in Finland, Kolster Oy Ab have large volumes of filings and a wide variety of other IP assignments. Over the years, Kolster Oy Ab have developed effective and well-proven processes, ensuring reliability and good quality of services at reasonable prices. From the European perspective, Kolster Oy Ab services have an excellent price-quality ratio. Our experience generates competitiveness in quality and price, which we invite you to put to the test.

For more information, contact:

Kolster Oy Ab
Iso Roobertinkatu 23, PO Box 148
FI-00120 Helsinki, Finland
Tel: +358 9 618 821
Fax: +358 9 602 244
E-mail: kolster@kolster.fi
Website: www.kolster.fi