Claire Verschelde

Founding & Managing Partner at ICOSA

Speaker

Claire Verschelde co-founded ICOSA (France) and ICOSA Europe (Belgium), two Intellectual Property firms historically specialized in Life Sciences (Biology/Biotechnology, Chemistry) and Tech (Medical Devices, Artificial Intelligence/Software, Materials, Electronics).

Claire holds a PhD in Immunology from the department of fundamental and clinical immunology (ENS Lyon and INSERM Lyon), as well as a master’s degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the École Normale Supérieure de Lyon. She is a qualified European, French and Belgian Patent Attorney, and UPC Representative. She is also a graduate of the CEIPI (Patents).

Claire manages patent portfolios in the field of Biotechnology, particularly in therapeutics and diagnostics, as well as medical devices. She has recognized expertise in IP strategy and valuation, particularly in acquiring or transferring rights. She supports numerous clients, including startups and investors, in IP audits and due diligence processes in preparation for fundraising. In 2025, she was named as an IP Stars in Patent category (France) by Managing IP, a globally recognized ranking.

She is a trusted representative before the European Patent Office (EPO), particularly in opposition proceedings. Claire also drafts legal opinions on issues such as infringement, patent validity, and freedom-to-operate (FTO). Her FTO studies result in actionable recommendations to define effective patent strategies and reduce or avoid the risk of infringing third-party patents.

Claire is regularly invited to speak at conferences and innovation events, particularly as a selection jury member for startup competitions. She helps identify high-potential startups and trains them on key intellectual property issues. She built her experience at one of France’s leading IP firms, where she contributed to the creation and growth of its Biotechnology department.

Recognized by the legal and professional press, Claire is recommended in the IAM Patent 1000, MIP IPStars, and Legal 500 EMEA rankings.