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Helping you build, grow, protect and leverage your intellectual property rights
Born locally, we help your idea develop into tangible and strong intellectual property rights in Switzerland and around the world.
Being part of your idea’s journey is a privilege and fuels our desire to deliver exceptional, bespoke IP services.
We navigate the law to bring you clear and easy IP solutions.
With offices in Bern, Neuchâtel and Biel / Bienne, supported by an affiliate branch in Basel, we provide easy access to intellectual property experts in your area.
Our Values
- integrity
- excellence
- transparency
We are dedicated to upholding our founder’s vision of excellence in intellectual property services and thrive to defend these values in all of our interactions with clients, colleagues, and the wider community.
Our Mission
Our mission is to protect creators so that they can leverage their ideas and contribute to a better world.
We are committed to delivering bespoke, cost-effective solutions that help our clients achieve their business objectives and protect their intellectual property assets.
Through our expertise, experience, and unwavering commitment to client service, we aim to be the leading patent and trademark firm in Switzerland and beyond.
BOVARD's legacy
At BOVARD we take enormous pride in tracing back our beginnings to the early days of systematic recording of inventions and ideas. Our founder Fritz Ch. Bovard worked alongside Albert Einstein; the two young visionaries examining patent applications at the Swiss Patent Office in the early 1900s.
Our team upholds this legacy and defends Mr. Bovard’s vision of excellence in intellectual property solutions.
Fritz Bovard was the president of the Association of Swiss Patent Attorneys from 1936 to 1938, a body who found its beginning in 1888 when the first Swiss patent was registered.
Our history and excellence in protecting innovations evolved in front of an ingenious backdrop of life changing Swiss inventions that furthered humankind. Both a Velcro® watch strap and a Swiss army knife made it to the moon in early space explorations.
Albert Einstein's Swiss passport displayed at the Albert Einstein Museum in Bern
image source Keystone
Fritz A. Bovard on the 80th anniversary of BOVARD Ltd
image source: BOVARD archives
Like Father, Like Son
The foundations of the company known as BOVARD were laid back around 1910, when Fritz Ch. Bovard managed and later took over the intellecutal property firm Mathey-Doret.
In 1925 the firm was renamed BOVARD.
Fritz A. Bovard not only inherited his father's first and last name but expertly positioned BOVARD as one of the most trusted intellectual property firms in Switzerland. After the passing of his father in 1949, Fritz A. Bovard took over the management and honed his skills as patent attorney.
To this day, the name BOVARD is synonymous with excellence in IP solutions, representing a myriad of inventors from niche industries to key players in the watch making and bio tech sectors.
We are proud of our history and uphold father and son's legacy by providing bespoke intellectual property services.
A sewing machine from 1949, for which BOVARD secured a patent, takes pride of place in our offices in Neuchâtel.
It has been with much joy that we have accepted the award of best IP Advisor in Switzerland 2022.
This prestigious recognition reflects our passion for IP as we continue to protect and further fresh ideas and life changing innovations.
Thank you for your trust and support.
Our network of experts
Over the last 100 years, BOVARD has established trusted relationships with intellectual property experts all over the world.
These long standing connections in over 120 countries enable us to deliver the most reliable and up to date IP solutions.
Our rich linguistic and IP knowledge is based on our multicultural background and the qualifications obtained from a number of key jurisdictions.
We are qualified IP practitioners in:
- Switzerland
- European Union
- France
- Germany
- Malaysia
- Australia
The languages we speak:
- English
- German
- French
- Italian
- Spanish
- Dutch
- Turkish
- Portuguese
- Croatian
- Bosnian
- Serbian
- Romanian
- Russian
- Finnish
- Japanese
- Mandarin
- Malay
Supporting Swiss startups
As proponents of Swiss innovation, BOVARD has been a long time supporter of Swiss start-ups and innovators. Our Innosuisse accredited coaches act as mentors and advise on all aspects of intellectual property.
Sharing our knowledge
Our patent and trademark attorneys regularly share their knowledge and passion in IP at local technical colleges and professional organisation such as the AROPI in Geneva.
Supporting future IP talent
Our Tarik Kapić and Benoît Gilligmann are furthering future talent in their roles of mentor and sitting Examiners on both the Swiss and European patent attorney accreditation boards.
