The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), in collaboration with the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT), the Solar Impulse Foundation, XMobility, and the Startup Europe Regions Network, have launched the 2026 Green Tech Edition of the Intellectual Property Management Clinic (IPMC).
Building on previous WIPO–EUIPO Clinics for the furniture and fashion sectors, this third edition brings together 26 companies from 15 countries across Europe, alongside IP, business and investor-readiness experts, for three months of tailored support.
The selected companies reflect the breadth of innovation contributing to the green transition. They are working across areas including clean and renewable energy, carbon capture and utilization, water management, circular manufacturing, sustainable materials and food, clean mobility, energy-efficient digital solutions and environmental services. While their technologies, business models and stages of development vary, they share an ambition to bring solutions with positive environmental impact to market and scale.
For many, doing so raises important IP and business questions: what should be patented and what should remain protected as know-how? How can a start-up collaborate with a larger industrial or research partner without losing control of key assets? How should IP ownership be addressed when technologies are developed jointly? How can a company build a licensing strategy, expand internationally, or demonstrate the strength of its IP position to investors?
These are among the questions that participants will explore throughout the Clinic.
From IP protection to IP strategy
Over the next three months, each participating company will work directly with an IP expert to examine its intangible assets, business objectives and specific IP challenges and develop a tailored approach to IP management.
The program combines:
- Up to three personalized mentoring sessions with an assigned IP expert
- A new Investor Readiness component, through which selected interested companies can receive additional one-to-one support to better integrate IP into their investor narrative and prepare for IP-related questions during due diligence;
- Four interactive workshops addressing IP strategy, patent intelligence and trademark considerations, investor readiness, and collaboration and scaling while maintaining control of key IP assets;
- Access to practical WIPO and EUIPO tools and resources; and
- Opportunities to exchange with peers, experts and ecosystem partners throughout the program, culminating in a final event at EUIPO headquarters in Alicante, Spain.
The participating companies will be supported by a multidisciplinary team combining IP, commercialization, technology management and investor expertise:
- Maria Boicova-Wynants, European Trademark & Design Attorney and founding partner of Wynants & Co, aligning IP strategy with business decisions for founders, investors and exits.
- Dr. Claudia M. Duffy, European Patent Attorney and founder of Innovare IP, specializing in IP commercialization, investor due diligence and university technology transfer
- Dr. Benjamin Delsol, European Patent Attorney & Litigator (PhD, LL.M), IP Strategist, and Fractional Chief IP/Intangible Assets Officer, specializing in deep tech, AI and IP-driven investment strategy; Founder & CEO of DELSOL Group.
- Gina de Echeona, IP & Investor Engagement Expert, with 20+ years of experience in IP commercialization from a business and investment perspective; Founder of Emprende Conmigo, EC Power & EC Capital.
- Dr. Martin A. Bader, European and Swiss Patent Attorney, Professor of Technology Management and Entrepreneurship, IP Strategist
- Guillaume Henry, Partner at Szleper Henry Naumann with 25+ years' experience in IP law across patents, trademarks and green technologies; former Chair of AIPPI's Standing Committee on IP & Green Tech.
A key addition to this year's Clinic is the new Investor Readiness component. Beyond the core mentoring track, selected companies with strong fundraising potential will receive additional one-to-one support to sharpen how they communicate the value of their IP to investors and prepare for IP-related questions during due diligence. Led by dedicated Investor Readiness experts, this component reflects a growing recognition that IP is not only a protective tool, but a critical part of how green-tech start-ups build credibility and secure the capital they need to scale.
Through this third joint edition, WIPO and EUIPO are continuing their collaboration to help innovative SMEs turn IP from a legal safeguard into a strategic business asset. By looking at how intangible assets can support the journey from innovation to market, attract investment and enable growth, the IP Clinic helps SMEs build stronger foundations for scaling their businesses. Ultimately, the initiative seeks to help promising green and sustainable solutions move from ideas and innovation to real-world impact; reaching the markets and communities where they are most needed.