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Women in IP - Aachen

"Women in IP" - Innovation and creativity are female.

Nearly half of the world's population is female, but women file significantly fewer patents than men. This needs to change, because women shape the world with their ingenuity and female perspective on things. Together with our cooperation partners, the patent information centers, we present women inventors, designers and trademark owners from all over Germany. The good news is that there are many of them and they have put very different ideas into practice. Let yourself be inspired and come along on an exciting journey through Germany with the "Women in IP".

Patent- und Normenzentrum Aachen (Patent and Standards Center Aachen): Women in IP

The PNZ-Aachen, the only patent information center in North Rhine-Westphalia besides the ITP at the University of Dortmund, is an institution of the university library of the externer Link RWTH Aachen University. In addition to university members, who make up about 50 percent of the clientele, the small, dedicated team serves SMEs and startups; mainly in the Aachen city region, but also as far as Cologne, Bonn and the Lower Rhine. Numerous innovative companies and research institutions make the region an outstanding business and science location. It is characterized by technology-based start-ups and has developed into one of the top locations for start-ups. Together with the PNZ Aachen, we present creative women from the region and their innovations here.

"Projektitekt" makes planning offices efficient

The construction industry is booming, pushing construction companies and architecture firms to the limits of their capacity. There is a shortage of skilled workers. Productivity has been stagnating for years. "This has to change!" - With this goal in mind, architect Sylvia Carola Schuster founded the company "Projektitekt" - a composition of the words project management and architect - in 2019.

"Projektitekt" improves processes in project management and supports planning offices in dealing with increasingly complex construction tasks. The unique selling point of operational consulting is extensive construction know-how, high competence in project management combined with the use of digital methods.

Founder "Sylvia C. Schuster Projektitekt"
Sylvia Carola Schuster

"As an architect, I have a copyright claim to my personal intellectual creation, provided my work has a certain originality and individuality. Since I was never the typical creative design architect, I looked for another way to differentiate my company from the competition and find my own niche. To me, innovation means creating and improving methods and processes in design firms. Sharing my intellectual property through consulting and training while protecting it is definitely a balancing act."

more information on the "Projektitekt" website

IP applications/IP rights

  • Trademark DE - 3020192139767 Projektitekt

From inventor to innovation consultant

Sonja Labitzke's dog Robin had a habit of gulping down his chews. One day, a piece got stuck so deep in his throat that he almost choked. Realizing that this problem affects many dogs and their owners, she dedicated herself to developing an innovative solution and invented a chew holder called "Boneguard", which allows for safe feeding of chews. She applied for several international patents and trademarks for this product. Through the development of her own products, she discovered her passion for invention and innovation. To delve even deeper into the topic of innovation development, she studied innovation management and intellectual property and embarked on new career paths.

In 2015, Sonja Labitzke put her invention on a professional footing. Today, she runs the company "Boneguard GmbH", with which she markets several of her own products as well as licenses and works as an innovation consultant based on her expertise. Sonja Labitzke gives lectures and conducts interactive innovation workshops for companies and founders to help them protect innovative ideas and bring them successfully to market. In doing so, she has developed her own concept to support innovation development with the help of artificial intelligence.

Founder Boneguard GmbH
Sonja Labitzke

Be curious and open to change, then recognize opportunities where others see obstacles. Combine different ideas, industries or technologies to develop new and unconventional solutions that offer real added value. A successful innovation project also requires good planning and organization.

Take time to capture your ideas in a structured way, define goals and create a realistic roadmap for their implementation. And setbacks are also part of the innovation process. Learn from them, adapt your strategy and persevere. Then you will most likely be successful.

further information on the website boneguard.de

IP applications/IP rights

  • Patent DE 10 2014 106 385.6 - Holding device for rationed administration of a food body to domestic animals
  • Marke DE 302020229063 - Pickofix

Innovation at the interface between textile technology and medicine

Valentine Gesché and her start-up are developing implants known as stent grafts to treat vascular diseases. These medical devices are needed to support bulges in the vascular system (aneurysms). At the affected sites, the vessel wall expands and becomes very thin. It can even rupture, which is life-threatening. For complex cases, stent grafts are needed that fit the aneurysm exactly and individually for each patient. Making something like this by hand used to take several weeks to months. Valentine Gesché's goal is to manufacture the individualized medical products quickly and digitally. This will significantly shorten delivery times. Such a stent graft can then be ready for use in less than a week. This reduces the risk for patients, because they no longer have to wait so long for the implant.

Co-founder of PerAGraft GmbH
Dr. Valentine Gesché

With our start-up, we are continuing research work that I was already involved with during my doctorate. But I already came into contact with medical technology during my studies. At that time, as a mechanical engineer at the Technical University of Munich, I specialized not only in plastics technology, but also in medical technology. We use a technology to create replacement parts for the human body. When product and tissue come into contact with each other, so much happens - I find that totally exciting.

more information on the RWTH Aachen website

IP applications/IP rights

  • patent application DE102018005070A1 Stent graft and method for its manufacture.

All patent documents can be viewed in DPMAregister.

Last updated: 5 November 2024