Plantlab patent remains valid

Added on 16 October 2023

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's-Hertogenbosch (the Netherlands) - The patent held by Dutch company Plantlab on indoor farming remains valid, despite an opposition procedure Certhon has again filed with the European Patent Office (EPO) in Munich. In 2017 and 2021, opposition proceedings instituted by Certhon and Signify were declared unfounded at first instance and rejected on appeal. Subsequently, the patent was again recognised by the EPA after all. Signify has resigned itself to the retention of the Plantlab patent and will not re-enter an opposition.

Plantlab has worked for many years to develop the patent on a completely enclosed cultivation device (indoor farming), which enables greatly improved production. The company has now had the 2008 patent registered and recognised in 75 countries. In early 2021, this patent was also recognised and registered in the United States in its entirety.

Current patent valid for all
Plantlab regrets that Certhon has now embarked on yet another such journey. "Naturally, we assume that Plantlab will once again retain the patent," said CEO Eelco Ockers. "We would like to reiterate that despite this new opposition, the current patent remains valid for everyone, with retroactive effect from 13 October 2008." This was already the case for registered countries outside Europe, such as the United States and Canada. Certhon's new opposition procedure does not change anything for European countries.

"If parties expect to be in Plantlab's patent, we are happy to engage with them," Ockers said. "Our approach is that we will always come out of this together." The proceedings at the EPA this was decided on appeal two years ago made it clear that Plantlab's indoor farming patent was indeed innovative and novel. It gave the global indoor farming sector a chance to develop further.

Plantlab's indoor farming patent covers the combination needed to grow plants optimally indoors, without sunlight. As PlantLab sees this technology as an important link to better food production closer to the consumer, the company wants to give as many parties as possible the opportunity to make use of the patent. Interested parties can contact Planlab to do so.

About PlantLab
PlantLab specialises in technology for innovative indoor farming , the food supply of the future. The company was founded in 's-Hertogenbosch in early 2010 with the aim of contributing to improving the world food system. In the past 14 years, € 120 million has already been invested in the development of technology and roll-out of own production sites. This makes it possible to grow fresh and healthy vegetables anywhere on earth, close to consumers, with minimal environmental impact, without chemical pesticides and with radically lower water consumption. Because the new technology works anywhere and anytime, a radically shorter logistics chain can be realised all year round with all the associated advantages: superior product quality, longer shelf life, greatly reduced food waste, virtually no CO2 emissions and nuisance related to transport over longer distances. PlantLab aims to make its technology accessible to all, making tasty, fresh and sustainable food accessible to all.

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