The event was part of the first Knowledge Transfer Sessions series organised by the University’s Centre for Knowledge Generation and Research Valorisation, the aim of which is to equip researchers with the tools and strategies necessary to translate results into real impact.

Under the title “Protect Your Idea: The Art of Patenting While Publishing”, Bernabé Zea, European patent and design attorney and partner at ZBM Patents & Trademarks, explained how intellectual property can add value to research projects, helping their results achieve impact outside academia.

The session opened with a key question – what is patentable and what is not –prompting the expert to further explain the process, from the generation of an idea to its transfer to the market, including the management of timelines between publication and patent filing: “A patent does not prevent copies; rather, it prevents competitors,” he noted.

Other aspects addressed during the session include the differences between copyright, patents and notarial deposit, which generated a lively debate among participants. 

UIC Barcelona currently holds 15 active patents across several research areas, reflecting the University’s commitment to knowledge transfer and its impact on society. The Knowledge Transfer Sessions series will conclude with a fourth session, scheduled within the same programme, on Industrial Doctorates.