Applying for a patent? Here's what you can do (and what not)
In a series of blog posts, Marco Coolen provides insight into his work as a Dutch and European patent attorney at AOMB.
Published on November 23, 2025
Marco, a patent attorney at AOMB since 2013, shares his expertise on IO+ about patents—how they work, why they matter, and when they lose their value.
Applying for a patent may sound like a process for lawyers and techies in robes. But as an entrepreneur, there is a surprising amount you can do yourself. And even though it is tempting to keep everything under your own control, some parts are really better left to an expert. Because a patent is not a form to fill out. It is a strategic document that stands or falls on precision.
So, what can you do yourself to protect your innovation?
Marco Coolen, photo © Bart van Overbeeke
1. Start searching
Before you invest in protection, you want to know whether your idea is truly new. Fortunately, you don't need to purchase expensive software to do this. Free tools such as Espacenet and Google Patents give you access to millions of published patents. Does it take some time? Certainly. But you get something important in return: insight. You can see what already exists, what your invention resembles, and what may already be patented.
2. Provide good figures
Patents are full of technical drawings. They need to be clear, but they don't have to be works of art. Do you have someone on your team who is skilled with CAD or another drawing program? Then you can easily create the basics yourself. This saves time and money. Keep in mind: the clearer the drawings, the better the patent attorney can understand your idea.
3. Describe your invention clearly
The biggest gain lies in your own description. The better you explain what you have come up with, the faster the professional can get to work on it. So no woolly stories or marketing language, but a crystal-clear technical explanation. What does it do? How does it work? What makes it better or different from existing solutions? You don't need to use legal language yet: just describe exactly what you know.
The World of Patents
Every Sunday, Marco Coolen shares his insights from the world of patents. Read the entire series here.
But where is the line?
In the claims. They form the heart of your patent. The claims determine exactly what you are protecting and what others are not allowed to touch. They are legal-technical and are strictly assessed. Every word counts here. Incorrect wording can mean that you will have less protection than you thought, or even none at all.
That is why drafting claims is a job for a patent attorney. Someone who understands your innovation and has mastered the legal finesse. Because that combination is worth its weight in gold.
Smart collaboration yields more
If you, as an entrepreneur, prepare the groundwork well (searching, drawing, describing), your patent attorney can get to work faster and more efficiently. That saves time, reduces your investment, and increases the chance of a strong application.
So you don't have to outsource everything. But you shouldn't want to do everything yourself either. The secret lies in collaboration: you provide the content, they provide the protection. That way, you get the most out of your innovation and your investment.