RGTH

What RGTH does

RGTH Patentanwälte PartGmbB is one of Germany's oldest patent attorney firms, founded in 1873 in Berlin as Brand und Nawrocki and now headquartered in Hamburg with six offices across Hamburg (City and Harburg), Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, and Düsseldorf. The firm provides intellectual property legal services across patent prosecution, utility model registration, design rights, trademark protection, technology transfer agreements, and employee invention law, with attorneys admitted to practice before the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA), the European Patent Office (EPO), the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), and WIPO. Approximately 20 patent attorneys and patent professionals cover seven technical disciplines — biotechnology, chemistry, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, materials science, physics, and software — enabling cross-disciplinary patent strategy.

The firm's core service is professional IP representation for enterprises, SMEs, startups, and individual inventors. Revenue is generated through billable attorney fees tied to the complexity of each matter, the technical field involved, and the scope of protection sought, spanning German, European, and international patent applications, opposition and nullity proceedings, infringement litigation (including before the Unified Patent Court), technology transfer agreements, and employee invention advisory. A secondary product line — the Startup Idea Consultancy and SME Advisory service, offered at €100 per 45-minute session and bundled with WIPANO government funding guidance — targets a downmarket segment. Marketing is primarily driven by professional referrals, a multilingual website (German, English, Chinese, Korean, Japanese), industry blog content, and external recognition in Best Lawyers (Handelsblatt), JUVE Patent, and Managing IP's IP Stars.

RGTH operates as a private partnership with no external investors, parent company, or public listing. The firm does not publish financial statements, and growth has been measured: a sixth German office in Düsseldorf was opened at the beginning of 2024, headcount sits at approximately 20 patent attorneys and professionals, and the firm has actively expanded into UPC contentious work and into serving startups and SMEs through the dedicated consultancy channel.

Name

RGTH

Legal name

RGTH Patentanwälte PartGmbB

Website

https://rgth.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1873

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

RGTH is a German patent attorney partnership founded in 1873, operating six offices across Germany with about 20 attorneys and patent professionals. It serves enterprises, SMEs, startups, and inventors across seven technical disciplines with patent prosecution, litigation, and IP advisory services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Intellectual Property Law Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Patent Prosecution & Portfolio Management (BPAHAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Trademark Prosecution & Brand Protection (BPAHAMAB), IP Search, Watch & Competitive Intelligence (BPAHAMAI)

Keywords

• Patent prosecution services
• Intellectual property law
• Trademark registration
• Patent litigation
• Employee invention law

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Legal Services: RGTH generates revenue through billable professional legal services rendered by patent attorneys. Fees are based on the complexity of each case, the technical field involved, and the scope of IP protection sought (filing, prosecution, litigation, licensing). The firm handles German, European, and international patent applications; opposition and nullity proceedings; infringement litigation; technology transfer agreements; and employee invention matters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

RGTH is a German patent attorney partnership providing intellectual property legal services including patent prosecution before DPMA, EPO, PCT, and WIPO; utility model registration; design rights filing; trademark protection; technology transfer agreement drafting; employee invention law advisory; and opposition, nullity, and infringement litigation. The firm serves enterprises, SMEs, startups, and inventors across seven technical disciplines from six German offices, with a flagship Startup Idea Consultancy offering 45-minute IP strategy sessions at €100 plus VAT.

Product overview

RGTH is a German patent attorney partnership (PartGmbB) offering comprehensive intellectual property legal services since 1873. The firm's core offering consists of patent prosecution (filing and prosecuting patents via DPMA, EPO, PCT, and WIPO), utility model registration, design rights, trademark registration, technology transfer agreements, and employee invention law advisory. These are supplemented by specialized technical field practices covering Biotechnology, Chemistry, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, and Software. Additional services include Startup Idea Consultancy (45-minute sessions covering IP basics and WIPANO funding) and SME Consultancy. The firm operates from six offices across Germany (Hamburg-City, Hamburg-Harburg, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, and Düsseldorf) and handles IP matters at national, European (EPO, EUIPO), and international levels (WIPO).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Patent Prosecution Services

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• WIPANO (Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRGTH's startup and SME consultants support clients in accessing WIPANO government funding, which covers up to 50% of eligible expenditure for IP registration (patents and standards). The firm collaborates with Chambers of Commerce in this regard, helping clients navigate the WIPANO application process.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bird & Bird: International law firm with a substantial IP practice in Germany and globally. Overlaps with RGTH on German and European patent litigation but offers broader legal services and a multi-jurisdictional platform that RGTH cannot match.

Direct peers

• Hoffmann Eitle: One of Europe's largest patent attorney firms, headquartered in Munich with a deep German IP prosecution and litigation practice spanning multiple technical disciplines. Directly comparable to RGTH in core patent prosecution services but with significantly greater headcount.
• Grünecker Patent- und Rechtsanwälte: Major Munich-based patent and law firm with extensive German and European patent prosecution, opposition, and litigation capabilities. Direct competitor to RGTH for German IP mandates, particularly in chemistry, physics, and mechanical engineering.
• Maiwald Patentanwalts- und Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH: Munich-based IP boutique covering patent prosecution, opposition, and litigation across all major technical fields. Directly comparable to RGTH in service scope and client segments (enterprises, SMEs, startups).
• Vossius & Partner: Boutique patent attorney firm in Munich offering patent prosecution and litigation services across biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering disciplines. Closely comparable to RGTH in service mix and target clientele.
• Eisenführ Speiser Patentanwälte Rechtsanwälte PartGmbB: German IP law firm with offices in Hamburg, Bremen, and Munich, providing patent prosecution and litigation services. Direct regional competitor to RGTH in Hamburg and overlapping technical disciplines.
• Meissner Bolte Patentanwälte Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaft mbB: Patent attorney firm with German offices covering patent prosecution, utility models, trademarks, and design rights. Directly comparable to RGTH in core IP services and multi-location German footprint.
• Bardehle Pagenberg Partnerschaft mbB: Munich-based IP boutique specializing in patent prosecution, opposition, and litigation with strong cross-disciplinary coverage. Directly comparable to RGTH's service portfolio and enterprise client base.
• Wuesthoff & Wuesthoff Patentanwälte PartGmbB: Munich patent attorney firm providing patent prosecution, opposition, and litigation services across technical disciplines. Comparable to RGTH in service scope and German market positioning.
• König Szynka Tilmann von Renesse: Düsseldorf-based patent attorney firm covering patent prosecution and IP litigation, providing direct regional overlap with RGTH's newest Düsseldorf office.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about RGTH