From Industry To Patent Office Director with Maja Schmitt
From Two IPs In A Pod by CIPA
January 9, 2026 · 40 min
About this episode
Maja Schmitt discusses her journey from chemist to patent office director and the implications of the Netherlands' return to examined national patents.
Send us Fan Mail A chemist hears a patent attorney speak and sees a future. Years later, that same attorney is directing a national patent office and helping rewrite how innovation gets protected. This conversation with Maja Schmitt travels from labs and in‑house roles to China and The Hague, and lands on a bold policy move: the Netherlands is returning to examined national patents after years of registration-only grants.
People in this episode
Guest: Maja Schmitt
Topics covered
- patent law
- innovation
- policy change
- chemistry
- entrepreneurship
Keywords
- patent attorney
- innovation protection
- national patents
- chemistry
- policy
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Netherlands Patent Office
Places: China, The Hague
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