Invention disclosures engineers actually fill in.
Erfindium guides engineers through a structured, step-by-step disclosure process — and gives the internal team complete, review-ready submissions from the start.
Built for a legal-adjacent, high-trust environment where the workflow needs to be clear, structured, and secure.
The Problem
The biggest problem with invention disclosures isn't that they come in incomplete. It's that most of them never come in at all.
Engineers have ideas. But when disclosure means a long form, unclear questions, and the feeling that it will just generate follow-up work — they quietly drop it. Their invention stays in a notebook, or buried in an email chain, and the company loses valuable IP it never knew it had.
When disclosures do get submitted, they're often incomplete or inconsistent, which creates back-and-forth, slows down review, and adds overhead that compounds over time.
The Solution
Erfindium is a software product that makes invention disclosures painless for engineers to submit, and effortless for patent managers to review.
Engineers get a step-by-step guided submission. Reviewers get structured, complete disclosures — ready to evaluate on first read, with fewer follow-up questions.
The system supports the process around disclosure — clearer inputs, better organization, faster first-pass review — without replacing legal or IP judgement.
Who It Is For
The focus is on German companies with engineering or R&D activity that handle employee inventions internally or together with external patent counsel.
It is particularly relevant where invention disclosures are important, but existing processes are still manual, fragmented, or burdensome for employees and reviewers.
Best fit environments
- Engineering-led companies
- R&D-intensive Mittelstand companies
- Innovation, legal, or IP teams involved in invention review
Positioning
A practical workflow layer for a German industrial context — serious, structured, and useful in day-to-day review work.
About
Erfindium is being developed in Germany with a focus on practical invention disclosure workflows in industrial and technical settings.
The current work is focused on validating the workflow with relevant users and developing a pilot-ready product for real company environments.
The goal is a workflow that holds up in practice — in the environments where disclosure quality actually matters.
FAQ
Does this replace patent attorneys or legal review?
No. The system supports the disclosure workflow upstream of legal review, not in place of it. Attorneys and IP managers still make the calls.
Who handles the data? Is it kept private?
Disclosure data stays within the company's own deployment. The system is designed for a high-trust, legal-adjacent context where confidentiality is non-negotiable.
What does deployment look like?
The current model is a dedicated deployment per company, not a shared platform. Each client runs their own instance with their own credentials and data.
Is the product already live?
Yes, in a live pilot at a German engineering company, focused on validating workflow quality in a real industrial context.
Who is this for?
German companies with active R&D that handle employee inventions internally or with external patent counsel — particularly where the existing process is still manual or burdensome.
What is the pricing model?
Not publicly listed at this stage. Get in touch to discuss what a deployment would look like for your company.
Contact
I'm looking to speak with companies, patent professionals, and innovation stakeholders who deal with Erfindungsmeldungen in practice.
If this is relevant to your work, I would be glad to connect.
cian@erfindium.com