In a competitive environment where innovation is a key driver of growth, filing a patent is an essential step to protect your invention and strengthen your company’s intellectual property. Whether you are based in France or in Belgium, a well-considered protection strategy lets you prevent copying, capitalise on your assets and secure your investments.
Do you have an invention to protect? Benefit from tailored support from our patent experts.
Filing a patent is a powerful legal tool for protecting a technical innovation. It grants its holder exclusive rights of exploitation in a given territory for a maximum term of 20 years.
Protect your invention by filing a patent
Before filing a patent, it is essential to carry out a prior art search. This step confirms whether your invention is genuinely new. On average, 70 to 80% of patent applications are rejected or limited for lack of sufficient prior analysis.
Prevent copying and secure your exclusive rights
Without legal protection, your invention can be freely exploited by third parties. With the support of a patent attorney, you secure your innovation and maximise the value of your rights.
Filing a patent is a strategic lever to secure your competitive advantage and maximise the value of your innovation. A patent allows you to:
Negotiate licences
Strengthen your position in the market
Prevent the reproduction of your innovation
Do not run the risk of disclosing an unprotected invention
Disclosing an invention before filing a patent can jeopardise any prospect of patentability.
Most unpatented innovations are copied
According to several industry studies:
Over 60% of unprotected innovations are reproduced within 2 years
One company in three suffers a loss linked to an intellectual property gap
In France, as in Belgium, public disclosure (a trade show, a website, a pitch) destroys the novelty required to file a patent.
Assess the protection potential of your invention
Not all innovations are patentable. Before filing a patent, an in-depth analysis helps optimise your legal strategy and assess the protection prospects for your invention.
No-obligation preliminary patentability study
A preliminary analysis allows you to:
Check the patentability requirements
Identify the exploitable lines of innovation
Define a patent-filing strategy aligned with your protection and value-creation objectives
Analysis of technical and legal risks
A sound patent-filing strategy is built on anticipation:
Territorial limits (France, Belgium, Europe)
Design-around (circumvention) risks
Conflicts with existing patents
Prior art search and patentability
Why filing a patent is strategic
Obtain a legal monopoly of exploitation
A patent grants an exclusive right to:
•Prohibit use by competitors
•Exploit your technology exclusively
•Increase your competitive advantage
Add value to your innovation and your company
A patent portfolio increases the value of your company:
•+20 to +30% in valuation on average for start-ups holding patents
•Greater appeal to investors
Secure your R&D investments
R&D expenditure is significant. Filing a patent allows you to:
Protect your return on investment
Prevent rapid copying
Structure a long-term strategy
The key steps for filing a patent
1. Prior art search and technical analysis
An essential first step: the prior art search to confirm novelty.
2. Drafting the application and the claims
Drafting the claims is crucial: they define the scope of protection. Poor drafting can reduce the value of a patent by more than 50%.
3. Filing and prosecution of the procedure
In France, filing with the INPI (the French patent office) is the official step. In Belgium, formalities are handled by the Belgian Intellectual Property Office, with the option of a European extension.
The process begins with an idea, followed by a study and drafting phase. Once this preparation is complete, the application can be filed immediately. After the patent is filed, publication generally occurs within 18 months. The application then enters the examination phase, a step that can last between two and three years. Finally, a grant can occur up to five years after the initial patent filing.
Gevers, expert in patent filing
Recognised technical and legal expertise
Gevers has supported innovators in France and Belgium for several decades. Our experts combine:
Technical skills (engineers)
Intellectual property expertise
Command of the European and international systems
Tailored support for every invention
Every invention is unique. Our support includes:
Personalised, strategic patent-filing advice
Drafting optimised for patent applications
Comprehensive legal follow-up
Conclusion
Filing a patent is an essential step for any innovative company wishing to protect and capitalise on its assets. Between the prior art search, the patentability analysis, and the drafting of the claims, each stage calls for sharp expertise. In France, as in Belgium, a sound strategy led by an intellectual property firm not only secures your rights but also maximises the economic potential of your innovation. With the right support, you turn your idea into a true competitive advantage.
Ready to protect your innovation? Our experts support you at every stage of the patent-filing process. ▸ Contact Gevers now
