The Company
Brandstock is one of the world’s leading and fastest growing developers and providers of IT-based intellectual property tools and services. These, in turn, form the operating backbone of mission-critical outsourcing and global sourcing commissions.
Thanks to these IT-based software and services, Brandstock is the cost and innovation leader in intellectual property.
Key business areas: global sourcing and outsourcing, searches, IP cost calculation and budgeting, renewals and assignment projects.
Strong standing on the European market - and a fast growing one in the USA.
Main activities 
Global sourcing and outsourcing
Brandstock has successfully positioned itself as the first consultancy capable of engineering and delivering sourcing and outsourcing services to the world’s IP community.
IP CostCalculator
Brandstock’s unique IP CostCalculator enables customers to calculate within seconds costs of all IP services, to verify official fees, and to compare the fees charged by hundreds of law firms worldwide with those levied by your network of agents.
IP Searches
Pre-Screening and Full Availability level for all countries; displaying of results on the world’s only interactive Search-Platform.
IP Assignments
Coordination and handling of large change of name, verification and assignment projects, change of address and/or merger recordal projects - with the former including the largest in the world - nearly 100,000 trademarks.
IP Renewals
Brandstock’s dedicated team of experts provides face-to-face services.These come with the best prices for renewals available, absolute cost accountability, Brandstock customized online RenewalPlatform, the comprehensive, high-capacity reporting system, and value adding services.
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Our Executives
Dr. Volker Spitz, LL.M is chairman of the board of BRANDSTOCK AG, which he founded in 2000. Born in 1961, Spitz was admitted to the bar in 1990. After working for one of Germany’s major patent law practices, Spitz founded his own firm in 1994, which has gone on to become today’s Spitz Legal. In 2005, Spitz joined in starting up IP-Valuation GmbH, which has developed the first software program in the world capable of valuating trademarks. Dr. Spitz’s commitment to protecting IP integrity led him to chair Germany’s association for the combating of product piracy.
Thomas Golda is chairman of BRANDSTOCK’s supervisory board and head of the searches departments.
Thomas Golda is chairman of BRANDSTOCK's supervisory board. He has been part of the firm since its inception. Today he is head of the searches department. Born in 1966, Golda was admitted to the bar in 1995. The same year he joined at Law Office Spitz, Klinger & Partner which has become today's Spitz Legal.
Axel Gutwein is Chief Financial Officer. Born in 1967, Mr. Gutwein joined Brandstock in August 2008. Over the past 15 years, he has held Controller and Senior Management positions in industry & commerce and IT.
Sylvia Lacroix is Chief Operating Officer. Born in 1970, Ms Lacroix joined Brandstock in October 2008. As a certified chartered accountant she worked 5 years in Switzerland in one of the largest auditing companies. She then moved to the Intellectual Property field and since 1999 has held various management positions in a major Food & Beverages multinational company, as well as in an international provider of IP outsourcing services.
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Our Partners
Key facts
Founded in 2000
Management:
CEO: Dr. Volker Spitz
CFO: Axel Gutwein
COO: Sylvia Lacroix
Headquartered in Munich, with 50+ staff members
Shareholders:
Dr. Volker Spitz
Sachsen LB (public-sector bank)
Hartmut Korn
Supervisory board:
Thomas Golda (Chairman), Hartmut Korn, Gisbert Enkel
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Key dates
| 2000 | founded |
| 2001 | launch of web-based trademark and domain sales platform
first key account: one of the largest players in the telecommunications sector |
| 2002 | launch of Standard Version of IP CostCalculator |
| 2003 | first customized versions of the IP CostCalculator for various international blue chip companies;
first key trademark assignment account: one of top German pharmaceutical companies |
| 2004 | commissioning of world’s largest trademark assignment project, comprising nearly 100,000 trademarks |
| 2005 | launch of initial version of interactive online SearchPlatform for agents |
| 2006 | launch of web-based trademark renewal platform;
exclusive search service contract with one of the largest chemical companies |
| 2007 | granting of free access to Standard Version of IP CostCalculator;
launch of enhanced version of online SearchPlatform;
initial US renewals clients in the pharmaceutical and entertainment industries |
| 2008 | launch of enhanced version of renewal platform;
commissioning of major Assignment projects from leading US and European companies, comprising some 40,000 trademarks and 18,000 patents;
new CFO and COO with long years of industry experience join Brandstock |
| 2009 | launch of BrandSeCo Search Platform, the enhanced search platform for clients;
launch of enhanced version of Verification and Assignment Project Monitoring Platform |
| 2010 | entry into Italian market for assignments with first Italian-based corporate client;
further development of the Renewals business with new clients’ located in the US, Switzerland and Italy |
