BlackBinder revolutionizes musical performance by creating a digital music score system that automatically scrolls sheet music, enabling musicians to play hands-free while protecting intellectual property through strategic patent protection.

Two young entrepreneurs, Alice Zantedeschi and Francesca Pievani, founded Fili Pari, an Italian fashion-tech start-up that merges textile innovation with Italy’s iconic marble industry. Their patented fabric, MARM\MORE, is waterproof, windproof, abrasion-resistant and coloured naturally by stone.

From a frustrating travel pillow during a skiing trip in Lapland (Finland) to a patented global innovation, Finnish entrepreneur Niklas Kuusela created Neckpacker: a travel jacket with a built-in inflatable pillow. Supported by national funds and crowdfunding campaigns, Neckpacker turned a personal pain point into a successful product now sold in more than 70 countries.

Founded in 2016 by Rosalie Bogaard, Rose d’Anvers blends Antwerp’s centuries-old diamond craftsmanship with the beauty of natural roses by enhancing natural roses with handcrafted diamonds. By patenting its unique preservation and crafting techniques, the company has secured its position in a competitive market and built a reputation for unmatched quality.

Scandic Bar ApS, founded by Zander Lauritzen Hansen, produces professional bartender equipment and has become a trusted brand in Europe. Their journey to securing an EU trademark was far from simple, but perseverance and self-education turned challenges into a victory. Today, the “Scandic Bar” brand stands as a mark of quality and credibility.

The Learn-IP project set out to raise awareness of intellectual property (IP) rights in the cultural heritage and cultural tourism sectors. Coordinated by Karin Drda-Kühn with IP expertise from Thomas Bürvenich, the project developed training modules and resources to help professionals protect unique crafts, designs, and regional products, while also generating revenues and safeguarding cultural identity.

From book covers to film adaptations, Italian artist Lorenzo Ceccotti demonstrates how mastering intellectual property (IP) can turn creativity into opportunity. His work on Paolo Giordano’s novel Tasmania illustrates how strategic licensing, awareness of contracts, and vigilance over AI clauses enable artists to safeguard and expand their vision across cultures and industries.

Essemme Studio, a sustainable fashion brand, demonstrates how early trademark registration can protect creative identity and help build customer trust in the competitive fashion industry.

Digital technologies have transformed how images are created, copied and circulated, and few artists stand closer to this frontier than Belgian surrealist Benoît Theunissen. Working between analogue craft and AI-assisted processes, he uses Intellectual Property (IP) not as a technical afterthought but as a creative safeguard: a way to preserve authorship, prove provenance, and maintain artistic integrity in a rapidly shifting landscape.

Playtiles by INNO Studio began as a simple spark in a small French workshop and grew into a protected, international-ready gaming platform. By securing patents, designs and trademarks before unveiling their invention, the founders built a solid foundation for scale, licensing and global partnerships. Their journey shows how early Intellectual Property (IP) strategy can turn a clever idea into a credible, thriving ecosystem.

In the heart of Romania’s Bucovina region, the village of Marginea preserves a centuries-old pottery technique that produces ceramics with a distinctive black colour without any additives. Recognised by a registered trademark since 2006, Marginea’s black pottery not only safeguards cultural heritage but also attracts visitors, boosting tourism and the local economy.

Pablo Ruiz Picasso, a pioneer of Cubism and one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, left behind not only a vast artistic legacy but also a complex intellectual property (IP) portfolio. Today, Succession Picasso manages related IP rights, ensuring that his name, works, and likeness are used lawfully while safeguarding the art market against counterfeits and unauthorised exploitation.

Since 1977, Aktion Plagiarius has been awarding the satirical “Plagiarius Award” to raise awareness of counterfeiting and its harmful effects on innovation and creativity. With its infamous trophy (a black dwarf with a golden nose) the initiative exposes copycats, encourages rights holders to defend their assets, and reminds industry and consumers of the value of genuine innovation.

In Spain, in the region of Galicia, Rural Hackers transform economic decline into creative opportunity through open-source intellectual property. By reimagining IP as a collaborative tool, they empower artists to share, adapt, and regenerate cultural narratives.

What if colours could be read by touch? Designer and art teacher Tudor Paul Scripor spent years trying to find the answer. He not only invented a universal tactile colour language, but also used patents and trademarks to protect its integrity, build trust, and promote its use in various industries.

The SCENE project is revolutionising film licensing by leveraging blockchain and AI technology. It gives creators unparalleled control over their intellectual property by providing secure and transparent smart contracts and tokenised digital assets.

Atelier Riforma began as a small upcycling initiative in Turin and grew into a fashion tech start-up with a patented AI system for sorting textiles. Encouraged by investors, the founders embraced IP protection, which boosted their credibility, attracted partnerships, and positioned them as pioneers of circular fashion in Europe.

When Belgian teacher-turned-language freelancer Véronique Geubel founded the publication house Vivalangues, she built her venture on clear copyright (authors’ right) foundations. By acquiring, translating, and licensing the rights associated with the Cat and Mouse series to adapt it into Kaz e Maus, she turned educational storytelling into a sustainable business, showing how solid contracts and a royalties scheme for the use of authors’ rights can turn creative passion into professional success.

When his modern sculpture of Melusina, Luxembourg’s mythical woman, was copied without permission, digital artist Serge Ecker found himself confronting the new realities of authorship in an AI-driven world. His experience shows how legends survive through storytelling, but artworks survive through IP. This is a story about vigilance, community, and the quiet power of resolving infringement the right way.

From his university thesis in Milan to a patented innovation, Alberto Caiola reimagined the classic men’s suit for a new era of comfort and style. His journey, marked by determination, risk-taking, and a bold leap into IP protection, reveals how a young designer turned a personal challenge into a market-ready invention with global potential.