From the airplane and the light bulb to the smartphone – behind every technical breakthrough and creation lies a legal system designed to protect and reward creativity and innovation: Patent Law. Raimondo Cau gives a peek into this fascinating system that shapes how technology evolves and how innovation reaches society; a place where law, ethics, economics, and politics often collide. Something every future engineer should know about.
Patent Law is the branch of Intellectual Property Law that deals with the protection of technical inventions, from products to production processes. A patent is essentially a deal between the inventor and society: the inventor gets the exclusive right to profit from their invention for about 20 years, and in return, must publish the details so others can learn and build upon the idea. This exchange ensures that knowledge spreads and innovation accelerates, even while the inventor enjoys a reward for their ingenuity. Patents are therefore crucial for building corporate value, attracting investors, protecting innovations from competitors and ultimately creating a monopoly in the world of free trade. This makes them one of a company's most powerful assets, profitable in all economic circumstances. However, this financial goal is at odds with the principles of Open Innovation and Open Science, which drive both technological and moral progress in our society. In some cases, technology itself can even become part of a geopolitical struggle.
In this lecture, Raimondo Cau will explore the world of patents, touching on trademarks, design rights and trade secrets. He will explain what qualifies as a patentable invention and will give a little peek into the patent application process. He will also briefly discuss hot topics like patents on life-saving medicines and software, where law, ethics, and economics often collide. By doing so, he shows why understanding the patent system is important for every future engineer, whether you aspire to work in science, the tech industry, or any other technology-driven field.
About the speaker
Dr. Ir. Raimondo Cau studied Mechanical Engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology, graduating in 2009 and obtaining a PhD in medical robotics in 2013. While pursuing his PhD, he invented a surgical robotic platform and founded a university spin-off company, serving as CTO. In this role, he led the company’s R&D and IP program and participated in fundraising activities until the company reached a commercial stage. He now works as a patent attorney at V.O. Patents & Trademarks in Eindhoven, where he supports companies ranging from startups to multinationals in their IP strategy. Raimondo is accustomed to maintaining an overview of complex matters and dealing with stakeholders across multiple disciplines and levels.
TU/e's educational offerings
At the end of this lecture program, prof. dr. Rudi Bekkers, Full Professor and Chair of Standardisation and Intellectual Property at TU/e, will give a short overview of the TU/e's educational offerings related to patents and intellectual property rights (IPR) for both bachelor's and master's students.
This lecture is organized in collaboration with The Netherlands Institute of Patent Attorneys. The professional organization of all patent attorneys in the Netherlands.
Ticket reservation recommended
To be assured of a seat, we recommend reserving a ticket (black "order" button).
SG & USE/ITEC registration
Please register for SG & USE/ITEC by scanning your student ID at the venue prior to the start of the program.
More information about SG & USE/ITEC can be found here.