For private inventors, startups & SMEs
How Patai works for inventors
Here we explain how you can use our tool to receive useful feedback from patent attorneys.
- No obligation
- Free
- Discreet & secure
Your invention is protected differently depending on what you plan to do with it commercially.
Step 01
1. Describe your situation
Once you have registered for free, you can start a project. In this project, our tool guides you through various questions about you, your invention and your overall situation. The rule of thumb always applies: the more you tell us, the more helpful the patent attorneys' feedback will be.
We will ask you about these topics:
- Basic information
Here you can give your request a title, list the people involved and provide a brief description in one or two sentences. You can also upload drawings and files that explain your invention in more detail.
- Context
Here you will be asked various questions about you, your project and your intentions. They are designed so that the attorney can understand you and your situation.
- About your invention
If you have a specific invention, you can go into detail about it in the following sections. Here you can explain your invention in detail. You can determine the level of detail yourself. We treat everything you enter discreetly.
- Summary
In the summary, you can review all your entries once more and adjust them manually. When you are satisfied, you can submit the request with ‘Submit’.
Your invention remains confidential
You can always decide for yourself how much detail you provide. On request, we are happy to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). Your information is shared exclusively with qualified patent attorneys. All patent attorneys are also subject to a statutory duty of confidentiality.
The AI asks about your plans
Your context cards take shape
Start a company, win investors
Battery storage for commercial businesses
Active cooling with pumps and fans
First filing myself, the rest after funding
Explain your invention in as much depth as you feel comfortable with
Step 02
2. Receive feedback
Your request is assigned exclusively to patent attorneys specialising in the relevant field.
What happens next:
- Patent attorneys
The attorneys receive a preview and can only view your invention in detail once they have confirmed that they have no conflicts with other clients. This way we can always track who has viewed your invention in detail.
- Feedback
The patent attorneys now respond to your request. This can be a direct follow-up question or preliminary research, because your details already give them extensive background information.
- Compare feedback
The feedback from the attorneys can vary greatly. You can ask follow-up questions at any time and will automatically develop a feel for which attorney you would like to work with. If you have specific questions, we are happy to help.
Transparency is key
You won't find the right patent attorney through recommendations. Every person and every project is unique, and for many people the patent attorney is the first companion on a long entrepreneurial journey. So ask questions and compare experience and strategic approaches to find the right partner for a long-term collaboration.
Only suitable attorneys see your disclosure
Cooling system
No conflict of interest – open disclosureThree attorneys, three assessments
Dr. Georg
The heat exchanger design is what holds up. Recommendation: file an EP application straight away.
Prof. Dr. Marie
You want to win investors. Then I would first secure the date of your idea and structure the filing so investors can see what is protected.
refers to: Your goalDipl.-Ing. Johannes
The passive circulation is interesting. I would search the prior art first.
You ask Marie
Step 03
3. Collaboration
Once you have decided on a patent attorney, confirm the collaboration through our platform. The other attorneys are then notified that they have not been selected.
Tips for good collaboration
- Long-term collaboration
The goal should be to pursue a long-term collaboration with your patent attorney. The better they know your business, the better they understand your needs and can work strategically.
- Getting a second opinion
If decisions need to be made during the collaboration, you can of course use Patai to request an opinion on a case. But be transparent about it. Ask your attorney how to best get a second opinion and analyse the results together. Getting second opinions behind your attorney's back can damage the trust between you and your patent attorney.
- Business first
It is important to understand that patents can be a valuable component of your business. Accordingly, it is important that you not only talk to your attorney about your inventions, but also look at the business model, competition and market development together, in order to use patents strategically so that they generate added value for the company.
- Reviews
As a platform, we will ask for feedback & reviews from both patent attorneys and inventors. We would like to find out which collaborations work well in order to sustainably improve the general collaboration between patent attorneys and inventors.
Conclusion
All patent attorneys have completed at least a master's degree in a natural science, followed by three to five years of training to become a patent attorney. They are absolute experts with a broad toolkit of ways to protect your idea and thus make a real difference to your business. With our platform, we want to help people overcome their hesitation around patents. Ask questions, describe your case. The patent attorneys are helpful and happy to provide information.
You choose Marie
The first meeting starts with the business
- 1Business model & market
- 2Competitors
- 3Protection strategy & budget
- 4then: the filing
Found: an attorney who thinks about your business first
- Asked about your goal
- Thinks about your business first, not a quick filing
- Plans protection around your funding
A patent that fits your business.
Access to patent attorneys has never been easier
Try it now – no obligation, free of charge.
Start your request now with no obligation and find out how you can protect your invention.
- Discreet
- Verified patent attorneys
- Proof of priority