Faithful to its role for 32 years, the INPI was once again at the GO Entrepreneurs trade show to support those who are building the future: this year again, more than 1000 entrepreneurs and innovators found essential answers at our stand thanks to the expertise of our teams.

Our staff were on hand to inform visitors about business formalities, available assistance, and INPI services in general; they emphasized the strategic importance of industrial property at every stage of a company's development, and, as always, our experts offered free prior art searches to verify the availability of trademarks to be protected.

The event also featured several highlights: a speech by Pascal Faure, Director General of the INPI, on the main stage of the show; the renewal of cooperation between the INPI and the Business Mediator; as well as two round tables and two workshops led by our specialists.

An interview on the theme: “the importance of protecting your innovations”

Pascal Faure was interviewed by journalist Fabrice Lundy on the main stage of the show.

He was accompanied by Marie Rocchisani, founder and CEO of House MParis, a startup that markets a vegan, refillable lipstick that adapts to each user's skin tone using AI.

“The longest step was developing.” Marie Rocchisani was able to testify. "Once that was done, we had a big question: 'We've invented something very innovative, how do we prevent it from being stolen?' It's a bit like the question everyone asks themselves when they have a good idea: how should I protect it?"

The entrepreneur continued by mentioning the attempts to capture her innovation and recalled that “Yes, it’s important to protect yourself well!”

Fortunately, Maison M Paris knew how to surround itself well from the start of the adventure: "Even before the structure was created, we received support from the INPI for two years. We had seven meetings, each with new questions. The business manager gave us advice and explained the options available to us. It was with this support that we were able to protect ourselves well, because there is both the patent for innovation, but also other sources of protection, such as our brand: Maison M."

For his part, Pascal Faure also insisted on the need to use industrial property as quickly as possible within the framework of an entrepreneurial project: "You have to know how to protect yourself early on. We have a whole range of measures for that. Later, it's too late!"

And to add: "When you have a business and the value you've developed is based on an innovation, the risk, if you don't protect it, is that someone else who hasn't taken the time to research, hasn't taken risks, will steal your idea and take the market. So you need a tool, an instrument, and that's industrial property. In addition, it allows you to promote your innovation to investors."

And like Marie Rocchisani, the Director General of the INPI, recalled that alongside the patent, the trademark and designs are just as important in protecting against counterfeiting: “The brand is essential. It’s even the first thing to protect, because it’s what makes you occupy your commercial space. Reputation is very quickly attached to the product and the brand. If you own it, no one can come and “encroach on your turf”! Otherwise, someone risks usurping your reputation. […] The design also needs to be protected! You have to register designs: the representation and aesthetics of your product are important!”

Pascal Faure concluded his speech by returning to the figures for patent filings with the INPI: "What is very interesting to note is that of the 15 patents filed per year, a third come from small structures: SMEs, project leaders, self-employed entrepreneurs... the number of patents filed by these small structures has increased by 500% [compared to the previous year, editor's note]: This means that all the awareness-raising and support work we are doing has paid off!”

The INPI and the Business Ombudsman renew their cooperation to protect innovative businesses

April 9, 2025 was also an opportunity for Pascal Faure and Pierre Pelouzet, Business Mediator, to meet at the INPI stand and sign the renewal of the cooperation initiated since 2015 between the two entities. 

The objectives of this cooperation? To help companies enhance and protect their intangible assets and to support them through mediation in the event of a dispute in this area.

"For 10 years now, the Business Mediator and the INPI have been combining their respective expertise to protect innovative businesses. In a different context, today as in 2015, innovative businesses need support in their development: mediation helps them find a negotiated solution when a dispute arises concerning the protection or development of their industrial property," recalled Pierre Pelouzet, Business Mediator.

Source: https://www.inpi.fr//en/Go-Entrepreneurs-Paris-2025%3A-INPI-puts-all-its-expertise-at-the-service-of-innovators-and