Boco IP is one of the oldest firms in Finland to specialize in the management of intellectual property.
Our Mission
IP expertise is our most valuable asset. We offer expert services in matters relating to intellectual property rights in order to support our customers’ management, product development and marketing, covering all of their IP needs from the initial development of an idea to operation in international markets. Our experts are here to help, from conception to the commercialization of the innovation. We aim to be a strategic partner for our customers, to increase their competitive strength and safeguard their unique know-how. Our guiding principle is to support our customers, whose technologies and services have the ability to improve the well-being of both humans and the environment, thus participating in building a sustainable society.
Boco IP in numbers
Our values
People-oriented
Our work involves close contact with people – we genuinely care about our customers and their individual needs. The same of course also holds true for our own personnel. We are open and our operation is based on the respect of each person as an individual.
Reliable
Reliability is the cornerstone of all our activities. To us, reliability means commitment to our customers and ethical operation in all circumstances. We have long-standing relationships with many of our customers and we have been operating in the IP field for more than 90 years.
Versatility
Boco IP is a versatile expert in the IP field. Our longstanding experience has provided us with a profound insight into the field. We also invest in the continuous training of our personnel.
Customer-focused
All of our operations are based on the needs of the customer; listening to the customer is the starting point for everything we do. We actively communicate with our customers and are capable of great flexibility when needed.
Who are we?
Boco IP is a patent firm, that helps the clients to see far and all directions. The further away in the future companies are looking for, the more important it is to protect their intellectual property. Boco IP has been established in 1928 – first as a family business and since 2005 owned by its key personnel. A lot of care and expertise is committed to the company, and it is the long experience that brings depth to our expertise. Intangible rights are today the most valuable asset of companies. Boco IP is the support and security of the company in the ocean of IP rights. IPR expertise is the most valuable core of Boco IP. Patents, trademarks and designs are precious tools that should be used with care. We look for the best ways to protect a customer’s intangible assets, be it technical innovation, a brand or even the design of an object or interface. Sometimes the solution is found in a surprising direction. The company needs an experienced guide to help navigate the information flood. We map out hidden pitfalls, open up views and look for the best routes for the company. All businesses today live in a world of IP rights, even if they don’t always want to. A wise company ensures its freedom of action in a timely manner – before starting a new business or taking over a territory. Boco IP offers a wide range of services for the protection of intangible assets. The patent office surveys the situation, finds out the position of competitors and helps the company identify its own uniqueness. A good guide can also dig up new ideas, get around obstacles and find new holes. An inventive company always finds a sufficiently different combination on which to build a successful business.Board
Managing Director
Jonna Sahlin
I am happy to advise and assist in various matters related to intellectual property rights and strategy, especially in the fields of chemistry, process technology, medicine, and diagnostics. I like problem solving and interaction with customers and colleagues, and I think the best results are usually achieved when the cooperation works smoothly. I handle patenting of inventions both in Finland and internationally, and in addition to prosecution of applications, I, among other things, also draft oppositions, freedom-to-operate analyses, and statements on the interpretation of patents.
I have been employed by Boco IP since 1998 and, after various tasks over the years, I nowadays mostly work with patent matters. Since 2017, I have represented Finland as a council member of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) and as a Finnish member of the epi's Professional Conduct Committee (PCC).
Marja Liisa Autti
I mainly deal with patenting in the fields of information technology, electronics and radio technology. The invention of many of the patent applications I have handled has been implemented as a computer program or software, but I am also no stranger to mechanical devices. In many cases, the inventions are combinations of devices and their control or processing of signals obtained therefrom. My job includes drafting patent applications, preparing office action reports and office action responses, handling opposition matters as well as performing novelty searches and technology mappings. I work as an authorized patent attorney, authorized by the Finnish Patent and Registration Office PRH. Prior to my career as a patent attorney, I gained 15 years of experience in patenting, IPR strategy and patent portfolio management in telecommunications field, as well as previous experience in research and development in the telecommunications and electronics industry. I have been employed by Boco IP since 2014.
Marjukka Hausalo
I work at Boco as the Finance and HR Manager and am also a partner and a board member of Boco IP. I am responsible for the overall financial administration, including accounting, ledgers, payroll, payment transactions, and insurance. A significant part of my role also involves recruitment and handling HR matters, such as employee well-being and developing the work community. I have been part of Boco since 2006.
Elina Heikkilä
I work primarily with trademarks and designs. I have years of global experience in IP protection proceedings, opposition, infringement and cancellation proceedings. I conduct availability and risk analyses, contractual matters, and IP strategy planning. Every IP-workday is fascinating! My previous work experience is from the Supreme Administrative Court, the Finnish Patent Office, and from a patent agency. I am authorized to represent clients at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH) and Finnish courts. I have worked at Boco since 2011.
Patrick Hjelt
As IT Manager I am responsible for the ICT operations and security of the company. I am interested in anything technical, and I have been developing the IT systems on a long-term basis in Boco for over 20 years. Except for a few years spent in the Finnish Defence Forces (first at the National Defence College and then at the Uusimaa Brigade), I have been employed by Boco since 1997.
Sini-Maaria Mikkilä
I am an experienced European Patent Attorney who has been helping clients protect and defend their inventions since 2008. My expertise lies particularly in industrial machinery and equipment, automation, hydraulics, measurement technology, and energy solutions. I assist clients in all IP matters – from patenting strategies to opposition and infringement cases, as well as employee invention matters. I especially enjoy analyzing technical solutions, assessing the scope of protection, conducting technology landscape studies, and preparing expert opinions. I am also passionate about increasing IP awareness and regularly organize IP trainings and workshops.
In addition to my work as a patent attorney, I serve as Chief Strategy Officer at Boco IP, where I focus on developing processes and practices to better meet client needs. I am also a board member and membership coordinator of the Finnish Association for Patent Attorneys (SPAY) since 2023, and I represent Finland as an alternate delegate in FICPI. Furthermore, I actively contribute to FICPI’s Practice Management Committee (PMC) and CET3 International Patent Matters Committee. Based in our Tampere office, I support clients across Finland and internationally in Finnish, English, and Swedish.
My work spans a wide range of industries, including industrial manufacturing, health technology, renewable energy, and logistics. However, I am happy to assist with any IP-related matters – feel free to reach out.
Karri Leskinen
Welcome to my page! How can I help?
I work at Boco IP as both CEO and patent attorney. As CEO, I want to help my colleagues succeed in their jobs and create a corporate culture where it is great to work. In my role as a patent attorney, I’m active in designing and implementing of clients' IPR strategies. With regard to assignments, I have focused especially on the handling of opposition cases in Finland and at the European Patent Office. I’m easily enthusiastic about everything related to the IP and I am happy to share this enthusiasm by lecturing and training new people in the IP field. In addition, I act as an expert in patent litigations, draft opinions and advise on patent law matters. I started at Boco IP in 2005, but I have been in the patent attorney since 1999. Feel free to contact me and let's talk more.
Boco IP cares about people and the environment
The goal of Boco IP’s environmental program is to reduce the consumption of natural resources by developing the eco-efficiency of the office. For the patent office, our biggest environmental impacts typically come from paper and electricity consumption. We are committed to significantly reducing these environmental impacts in our operations, and paper consumption, for example, has been declining year by year as the office has gradually become electronic. In addition, with an employee travel ticket, we encourage our staff to use public transportation, and our travel policy always encourages us to favor an environmentally friendly option. To reduce electricity consumption, our office lighting is automated to turn off in the evening. Environmental thinking is reflected in all our operations, even in small choices, such as sorting waste for recycling. The mindset of sustainable development has come to stay. Vigilant companies see hidden business opportunities in products and services that promote environmental well-being. People generally see sustainable development as an alternative to a disposable culture. An essential element of sustainable development is the management of own resources combined with long-term, determined operations. Green thinking fits well into the world of intellectual property rights. When protecting a company’s capital, operations must have the desired direction and be continuous. Things and values that are perceived to be sustainable remain regardless of the circumstances.