Who we are
The Austrian Patent Office is the central point of contact for intellectual property protection in Austria. As a subordinate authority of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Innovation, Mobility, and Infrastructure (BMIMI), we grant and register patents, trademarks, and designs – and support inventors and creative professionals from the initial idea to the international protection of their intellectual property rights.
We see ourselves not only as a government authority, but also as a sounding board for anyone venturing into new horizons, offering tailored advisory services, searches, and a broad training program that makes intellectual property knowledge accessible to everyone.
What we do – our mission statement
- The world is full of intellectual property. Whenever people design, try out, or create something new, they are generating intellectual property, even if they – and others – are often unaware of that fact.
- We explain what intellectual property is, how to best go about it in various situations, what trademarks, patents, and designs can be used for, and where their limitations lie. We share this knowledge and expertise with anyone who is interested.
- We love innovation and admire people who try new things, find unique technical solutions, and create trademarks and designs. We help inventors and creative professionals find the best way to protect their innovations. We do our best to support them in obtaining patents and registering trademarks and designs.
- When granting and registering trademarks, patents, and designs, we are fair in our assessments – both toward our clients and society. Everyone can rest assured that the exclusive rights we grant are justified. The opportunity to have these rights reviewed by us is open to everyone.
- We are eager to hear our clients’ ideas and proposals. Through our daily interactions with them, we truly understand their perspectives and know that they need prompt analysis, advisory services, and decisions from top experts. Delivering this is our mission, and we are fully committed to it.
How long have we been doing this?
The Austrian Patent Office was founded in 1899 – at a time when industrialization was transforming Europe and the protection of technical inventions was being systematically regulated for the first time. Much has changed since then: technologies, intellectual property rights, and the needs of our clients. What has remained unchanged is our mission – to protect innovations and make intellectual property accessible to everyone in Austria.
Collaboration with other patent offices and international institutions has been an integral part of our work for many decades. Today, we are firmly anchored in the European and international network of intellectual property authorities.
Head of Office: Dr. Stefan Harasek
Stefan Harasek has been President of the Austrian Patent Office since December 2023. He knows the organization inside out. Having joined the Office as a patent examiner in 2004, he later established the Strategy Unit and has played a key role in shaping the Office’s strategic direction since 2016. In 2022, he was appointed Vice President. In addition to his work for the Austrian Patent Office, he served as a technical member of the Austrian Supreme Patent and Trademark Senate and as a lay judge with expertise in patent matters at the Austrian Supreme Court.
A key focus of his work lies in combining regulatory functions with service provision – with the goal of providing the best possible support to everyone in Austria who wants to turn great ideas into a reality.
Certified quality
Our core services are certified according to DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/IEC 27001:2022. The Austrian Patent Office is also certified as an international PCT authority under the Patent Cooperation Treaty and examines PCT applications from over 60 countries. This demonstrates that our searches and examinations of inventions meet the strictest international standards.
![[Translate to English:] Bild des Zertifikats für ISO 9001](/fileadmin/Patentamt/Fotos/Zertifikat_ISO9001_2022_de.png)