Frequently Asked Questions

Our attorneys cover a broad range of fields: mechanical, electrical, software, chemistry, life sciences, and more. When you submit your invention, we match it to an attorney with relevant technical background. If for any reason we don't have the right expertise, we'll tell you upfront rather than take on work we can't do well.

Absolutely. Nothing gets filed without your sign-off. You'll see the full draft, can request one revision, and only approve filing when you're satisfied.

Most applicants complete the wizard in a few hours spread over a few days. After you submit your answers, we typically deliver a draft for your review within [X business days], and file shortly after you approve it. If you're working against a public disclosure deadline (a pitch, a launch, a paper publication), let us know. We can prioritise.

All reviews are carried out by European Patent Attorneys: professionals who are qualified to represent applicants before the European Patent Office. They've been doing this for years and have drafted hundreds of patent applications in a wide range of technical fields.

Yes, always. Our wizard collects structured information about your invention, and our system uses AI to produce a first draft of the full patent application: claims, description, abstract, and drawings. That draft then goes to a qualified European patent attorney who reviews every section, refines the claims, catches issues, and makes sure the application is fit for filing. The AI makes the process faster and more affordable; the attorney makes sure it's actually good.

Not at all. Quite the opposite, in fact. Our wizard is designed for inventors who've never touched the patent system before. It asks plain-language questions about your invention, and our team handles the legal and technical drafting on the back end. If you can explain what your invention does and why it's new, you can use ptntpwr.

Your priority date is the official date your invention enters the patent system. From that moment, no one else can file the same idea and claim priority over you. For fundraising, it changes one conversation: instead of "we're planning to file," you can say "we filed in March." That is a different answer to a different question.

Three criteria matter: your invention must be new, it must not be obvious to someone working in the same field, and it must have a practical use. If you can say yes to all three, it is worth a conversation. ptntpwr includes a free patentability check before you commit to anything.

We file your priority application in Belgium.

We draft in English.

Small refinements are normal and usually fine. More significant changes may need to be captured in a new filing. If you're unsure, just ask. We'd rather have a five-minute conversation than have you miss something.

Yes. Once your application is filed, you can mark your product, website, and materials "patent pending." This has real signalling value with investors, customers, and potential competitors.

No. A priority filing is the start of the patent process, not the end. You have a filed application with a recognised date and a search report, but not a granted patent. Examination, grant, and enforcement happen later, in the specific countries where you decide to pursue protection.

It's the official date your invention enters the patent system. Under the Paris Convention, that date is recognised worldwide. When you file in other countries within 12 months, they'll treat those later filings as if they happened on your original priority date. In practice, it means you can talk openly about your invention without losing your right to patent it.

Time is critical in this case. In most jurisdictions, a public disclosure before filing can jeopardize your patent rights. Contact us as soon as possible. We may still be able to help, depending on the circumstances and timing.

A negative or partially negative search report isn't the end. It's useful information. It tells you exactly what prior art exists and where your claims need to be narrowed or rethought. You can revise your approach when you move into the PCT phase or national filings. Many successful patents start with imperfect search reports.

When you file a priority application, the European Patent Office carries out a search of existing patents and publications to identify anything similar to your invention. They then issue a written opinion assessing whether your invention looks novel, inventive, and industrially applicable. It's one of the highest-quality patent searches in the world. It arrives within the 12-month priority window, giving you real information to work with before you commit to more expensive filings.

You can file yourself. But a patent is only as strong as its claims, and claims are where most self-filed applications fail. A poorly drafted patent can be designed around or invalidated entirely. ptntpwr gives you a qualified European patent attorney reviewing every filing, without the hourly rate.

That's fine. If you let the priority lapse, you're under no further obligation. You'll have paid only for the Prio (or World) package, gained a professional patent application and an EPO search report, and learned a lot about your invention's patentability in the process.

If you want to continue after your priority year, the next step is either (a) a PCT filing (included in World, optional add-on to Prio) or (b) direct filings in specific countries. Later on, if you enter the national phase through PCT, you'll pay country-specific fees at that point, typically between 18 and 30 months after your priority date. We'll give you a clear view of those costs before you commit.

Prio is right if you want to secure your priority date and feedback from the EPO, and decide later whether to go international. World is right if you already know you'll want international optionality and want the PCT filing bundled in from the start. If you start with Prio and later decide to continue with a PCT filing, we can handle that too. World is just more economical if you commit upfront.

No. Each package is flat-fee and includes all official filing fees, the attorney drafting and review, and the EPO search. The only costs not included are the next steps after the priority or PCT filing: national phase entries, translations, and prosecution in specific countries. These are optional and happen later, if and when you decide to pursue them.

Prio secures your priority date and gets you an EPO search report: feedback of the European patent administration on your invention’s patentability, within your budget. World includes everything in Prio, plus a PCT filing at month 12 that keeps protection open in 150+ countries for up to 18 months. Both are flat-fee, no surprises.

Yes. Everything you share with us is confidential and protected by attorney-client privilege from the moment a qualified patent attorney is engaged on your file. We don't use your invention details to train AI models, and we don't share them outside your file team.