02.04.2026

Event with the IP Specialist Firm ZACCO

In collaboration with the intellectual property specialist firm ZACCO from Munich, with whom we have a long-standing partnership in the legal protection of service inventions, the Knowledge and Technology Transfer Office of the University of Maribor is organising a training session focused on intellectual property protection and management in the research environment.

The event titled Protect, Manage, Succeed: A practical workshop on research IP offers an excellent opportunity for researchers and others to enhance their knowledge in the area of intellectual property protection and management.

When? Thursday, 16 April 2025, from 9.00 AM to 2.00 PM

Where? Lecture Room 1, Rectorate of the University of Maribor

Speakers: Dr. Heiko Pittner and Dr. Stig Benthin

The programme will begin with a lecture providing participants with an overview of patent protection procedures at the European (European Patent Office) and international (World Intellectual Property Organization) levels. This will be followed by two thematic presentations with a practical focus:

  • Dr. Stig Benthin will present intellectual property in the natural sciences,
  • Dr. Heiko Pittner will focus on intellectual property in the technical sciences.

In the second part of the event, individual meetings will take place between researchers and the speakers, where participants will be able to receive concrete guidance on the protection of their research results.

Event Programme:

TIMETOPIC
Part 1
9:00-9:05Welcome address by the organizer
Dr. Tina Mesarič, Head of the Knowledge and Technology Transfer Office UM
9:05-9:45Navigating patent protection: EPO and WIPO procedures
Dr. Stih Benthin & Dr. Heiko Pittner, ZACCO
9:45-10:15IP in natural sciences – a practical overview
Dr. Stig Benthin,  ZACCO
10:15-10:45IP in technical sciences – a practical overview
Dr. Heiko Pittner, ZACCO
10:45-11:15Break
Part 2
11:15-14:00Individual sessions between researchers and the experts
Dr. Heiko Pittner & Dr. Stig Benthin,  ZACCO
14:00Final words and conclusion

The event will be held in English.

Registration is open until 14 May 2025 here.

Dr. Heiko Pittner is a German and European patent attorney and holds a PhD in physics. He has worked at CERN in Geneva and the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics in Munich, with a focus on laser physics, optics, atomic physics, and electromagnetic traps. With over 12 years of professional experience in intellectual property, he specialises in obtaining IP rights in fields such as automotive, telecommunications, software, sensor and measurement technology, laser systems, and food processing technologies. He is recognised as a recommended expert in the prestigious publication IAM Patent 1000 by Intellectual Asset Management.

Dr. Stig Benthin, PhD in biotechnology, has more than 20 years of experience in intellectual property. His practice includes drafting and prosecuting patent applications and supplementary protection certificates (SPCs), handling oppositions and appeals, conducting freedom-to-operate analyses, infringement and validity assessments, and licensing support. He specialises in life sciences, pharmaceuticals, and the food industry, covering areas such as biotechnology, immunology, molecular biology, organic chemistry, cell cultures, fermentation, and industrial biotechnology. He is also listed as a recommended expert in IAM Patent 1000 by Intellectual Asset Management.

We kindly invite you to join us!