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Welcome to our digital museum!

Here you will learn about the great inventors, technical breakthroughs and innovative companies we have been involved with since 1869.

Our history reflects the industrial development that has taken place in society at large – through depressions, world wars and IT-bubbles.

Welcome to experience the development from the dynamite to cryptocurrencies.

1869

Patent Pioneer: L A Groth

Lorenz Albrecht Theodor Groth founded Groth & Co in Stockholm in 1869. As Scandinavia’s first patent agency, he offered to ”assist inventors with registering patents”, but also to commercialise the patents and sell the products. The idea came at a good time, coinciding with what is now often called Sweden’s industrial breakthrough. 

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1870

Typewriter

In 1870, the Hansen Writing Ball came onto the market, and Rasmus Malling-Hansen’s invention is therefore considered to be the first commercially available typewriter. Groth & Co filed the patent for the Writing Ball in Sweden in 1870.

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1874

Railroad Air Brake

One of George Westinghouse’s significant inventions concerned railroad safety and thus the growth of the railroad industry. The most important was the automatic air brake system, for which he received a patent. To commercialize his invention, he started the Westinghouse Air Brake Company in 1869. Groth & Co assisted with patents in Sweden for improvements to the railway brake in the mid-1870s.

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1876

Otto Engine

The four-stroke engine was invented by Nikolaus Otto in 1876. Even today it is the dominant engine in cars, propeller-driven aeroplanes, lawnmowers, mopeds and in outboard motors for boats. Groth & Co filed the patent application for the Otto engine in Sweden.

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1878

Separator

The Separator is an appliance that separates two non-miscible liquids, such as milk and cream, through a rapidly rotating centrifuge. Gustaf de Laval’s construction from 1877 contributed strongly to Swedish industrialisation at the turn of the century. Groth & Co filed the patent application, which was granted in 1878.

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1879

Nobel’s Extra Dynamite

Alfred Nobel was a Swedish chemist and engineer who came to be most famous for dynamite and the Nobel Prize. Groth & Co was the patent agency that filed Nobel’s patent for Extra Dynamit in 1879, and the power of attorney still adorns one of the walls of our headquarters.

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1880

Edison’s Lightbulb

Thomas Alva Edison is often referred to as the father of the lightbulb, as he, based on existing ideas on the subject, patented the first commercially useful incandescent lightbulb in 1880. Edison was an inventor of rank and is said to have patented more than 1300 inventions. Groth & Co started working with Edison as early as 1879.

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1881

Telephone

Lars Magnus Ericsson’s improvements of the telephone led to a clearer and better sound through the so-called spiral microphone where the diaphragm in the handset could be adjusted. Groth & Co filed the patent application for Ericsson’s invention on January 12, 1881, which was then approved on March 18, 1881.

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1892

Diesel Engine  

In 1892, German engineer Rudolf Diesel invented an engine that was given his last name. Today, the diesel engine is used in particular where there is a need to produce high power at low speeds, and it is therefore often used in trucks, buses, ships and agricultural machinery. Groth & Co filed the patent application for the diesel engine in Sweden.

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1892

Primus Stove

1892 saw the invention of the first soot-free paraffin cooker, which was named Primus®. F W Lindqvist’s design revolutionised the opportunities for portable cooking, heating and illumination. Groth & Co filed many patent applications over a long period for Primus, including for the very first portable stove.

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1892

Adjustable Spanner

The adjustable spanner was a revolutionary invention that has looked the same for over 100 years. A spanner with one mobile and one fixed jaw could then, and still can, replace a large number of tools in different sizes. Groth & Co filed the patent application for JP Johansson’s adjustable spanner, which was approved on 11 May 1892.

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1898

Jönköpings Tändsticksfabrik

Jönköpings Tändsticksfabriks AB was founded in 1857 and came to occupy a world-leading position in the manufacture of the at the time new safety match. The company was acquired by Ivar Kreuger in 1917 when he founded Svenska Tändsticks AB, which later became Swedish Match AB. As early as 1898, Groth & Co handled a number of different trademarks for the company.

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1900

Electric Blast Furnace

The blast furnace is a central part of the steel industry. Historically, coal was used to fire furnaces to melt iron ore. But in 1900, the Swedish mill Gysinge Bruk began to use an electrically heated blast furnace and became the first in the world to manufacture steel on a practical scale using this method. Groth & Co assisted with the international patenting of this innovation. 

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1900

Stomatol

The Swedish toothpaste Stomatol® was invented in 1895, though as a gargle for use in the treatment of throat diseases. For Stockholmers, the toothpaste is perhaps best known for the classic advertising sign that has been located at Slussen for over 100 years. Groth & Co filed the trademark application for Stomatol in 1900.

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1915

Mercedes

Mercedes-Benz® is a well-known German car manufacturer that dates back to 1884. The name Mercedes® came into being in 1900 when an Austrian businessman ordered 36 cars from the then Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft, which he named after his daughter. In 1915, Groth & Co assisted to file the Mercedes trademark in Sweden.

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1920

Automatic Telephone Exchange

The automatic telephone exchange revolutionised phone usage in its time. It meant that a phone user could call another without the need for a switchboard operator. The technology got its breakthrough in Sweden in the 1920s, and during this period, Groth & Co filed a dozen patents relating to the automatic telephone switching system for Automatic Electric Company.

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1924

Bullet-Proof Vest

The period between the First and Second World Wars was characterised by a high rate of innovation in military equipment. In Groth & Co’s archive from that time there are many examples of this. Among other things, Groth & Co assisted the American company Bullet Proof Vest Corporation to patent its bulletproof vest in Sweden in 1924.

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1928

Liquid-Filled Compass

The modern liquid-filled compass was invented in 1928 by four orienteers from Sweden. The innovation not only made it easier to navigate, but also made orienteering a popular sport. Groth & Co filed the first patent applications for the brothers Kjellström’s compass in 1928.

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1930

Handheld Vacuum Cleaner

Hoover Dustette Model 100 was introduced in 1930 and was the world’s first handheld vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner manufacturer Hoover dominated the market for most of the 20th century. Groth & Co filed numerous patent applications for Hoover in Sweden during the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, including the handheld vacuum cleaner in 1930.

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1941

Milda Margarine

Milda® margarine has been on the Swedish market since 1943. The margarine was named after its mild taste and it has been Sweden’s best-selling household margarine for decades.  Groth & Co registered the trademark in 1941.

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1954

Elizabeth Arden

Elizabeth Arden® was a businesswoman who built a worldwide cosmetics company. Miss Arden is said to have claimed that there were only three American brands that were known in all corners of the globe: Singer sewing machines, Coca Cola and Elizabeth Arden. The latter helped Groth & Co to register in Sweden in 1954.

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1958

Cable Tie

The cable tie is an innovation that, in its simplest form, is used to keep cables and wires together. This clever product was launched in 1958 by the American company Thomas & Betts under the trademark Ty-Rap®. Groth & Co filed a patent application in Sweden for an update to their cable tie in the early 1970s.

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1958

Pacemaker

The artificial cardiac pacemaker is a Swedish invention from 1958. By transmitting electrical impulses to the heart, the pacemaker can create a regular heart rate and thus allow millions of people to live a normal life. Groth & Co drafted and filed about 50 patents regarding the pacemaker between 1996 and 2005.

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1961

Individually Packed Plasters

In 1953, Cederroth introduced the Salvekvick plaster. This was Europe’s first individually packaged plaster, and the packaging protected the plaster against dirt, dust and bacteria. Groth & Co filed the patent application in 1961. 

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1965

Titanium Implant Screw

Brånemark wrote MedTech history when he discovered that titanium has the ability to heal into bones. This made ordinary dentures more or less extinct, and laid the foundations for today’s world-leading implant company, Nobel Biocare. Groth & Co filed nearly 200 patent and design applications for the invention during the 1980s and 1990s.

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1967

Pocket Calculator

The prototype for the handheld electronic calculator was presented in 1967. Jack Kilby, the inventor of the microchip and later Nobel laureate in Physics, was a project manager at Texas Instruments when the company was looking for an application of their microchip for the consumer market. Groth & Co filed more than 50 patent applications for Texas Instruments from 1970 onwards.

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1972

Lithium Battery

Wilson Greatbatch wrote MedTech history when he further developed the lithium battery and adapted it to a pacemaker in 1972. With Greatbatch’s battery, pacemakers had a significantly longer lifetime and the technology is still used in a number of medical implants. Groth & Co filed around 30 patents for Greatbatch, including patents related to the lithium battery.

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1975

ABBA

In 1970 a pop group was formed that would become Sweden’s most successful music export ever. Their initials gave the group the name ABBA® – the same name as a well-known Swedish food manufacturer. Groth & Co assisted the parties to reach an agreement, and afterwards registered ABBA as a trademark on 15 of the group’s key markets. 

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1984

Europe

Europe® is one of Sweden’s biggest rock bands and has sold over 25 million albums. With hits like ”The Final Countdown”, ”Prisoners in Paradise”, and ”Carrie”, Europe dominated the rock scene during the 1980s. In 1984, Groth & Co registered the band’s trademark.

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1986

Antiretroviral Drug for AIDS

AZT® was the name of the breakthrough medication in the treatment of AIDS. The medicine was the first antiretroviral medicine, reducing the reproduction of the virus and thus inhibiting the development of the disease. In 1986, Groth & Co filed the trademark application for AZT in Sweden.

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1992

X2000 High-Speed Train

X2000® is the trademark for a high-speed train used by the Swedish train operator SJ. When the train was introduced in the early 1990s, it improved both the capacity and speed of Swedish rail traffic. Groth & Co filed the trademark application for the X2000 in 1992. 

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1997

J.Lindeberg

The Swedish fashion designer Johan Lindeberg started his clothing brand J.Lindeberg® in 1996. The brand became a major international success and has played a major role in what is internationally called ”the Swedish denim miracle”. In 1997, Groth & Co filed trademark applications for J.Lindeberg.

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1998

Expedition Robinson

Expedition Robinson®, sometimes know as Survivor, is a reality show where participants live on a desert island, compete against each other and should avoid being voted off the island by. Sweden was the first country in the world to produce and broadcast the programme, which then became one of the world’s most widely-known reality TV shows. Groth & Co registered the trademark Expedition Robinson in 1998.

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1999

World Childhood Foundation

The World Childhood Foundation® is a foundation founded by H.M. Queen Silvia of Sweden. They work for children’s safety all over the world and have a special focus on children in vulnerable environments. Since its inception in 1999, Groth & Co has helped Childhood pro bono with their trademark issues.

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2001

Wave Power

The company Seabased extracts energy from sea waves. Wave power has many advantages in terms of high energy availability, low costs and minimal impact on the environment. Since 2001, Groth & Co has assisted Seabased with patents and other IP matters.

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2003

Google

Google is an American internet company founded in 1998, best known for the world’s most used search service. Today, Google is one of the world’s highest-valued companies and has one of the world’s highest-valued brands. In 2003, Groth & Co assisted Google in registering google.se and represented Google in a dispute regarding the same domain name.

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2009

Klarna

Klarna was founded in 2005 as Kreditor Europe AB to simplify the payment process in e-commerce. Today, Klarna is a global IT company and bank, and is considered to be one of Sweden’s unicorn companies. The name Klarna® was created by Groth & Co’s sister company in 2009 and we filed the company’s first trademark applications.

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2009

The Official Wedding Series

On 19 June 2010, Crown Princess Victoria married her fiancé Daniel Westling, now Prince and Duke of Västergötland. Groth & Co was given the honour of filing the trademark application for the symbol that adorned all official merchandise associated with the royal wedding.

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2011

Mobile Payments

Seamless Distribution AB has been working with mobile payments from an early stage. With the SEQR® service, consumers can pay in stores and online via an app on their mobile phone. For a period in the 2010s, the service was the most used mobile payment solution in both Sweden and Europe. Groth & Co filed patent applications for Seamless mobile payments in 2011.

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2012

Urban Agriculture

Plantagon International AB operates in the sector of urban agriculture and has won a number of global awards for its innovation. Their vertical greenhouses are located in cities to grow fresh crops close to the consumer with minimal negative environmental impact. Since 2012, Plantagon has engaged Groth & Co for strategic advisory services related to IP.

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2014

Crowdfunding

FundedByMe® is a digital platform for crowdfunding – a method for companies to seek funding from many individuals. Up to 2018, FundedByMe has provided funding to a total value of €55 million. Groth & Co registered their trademark globally in 2014.

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2016

Uber

Uber is a global technology company best known for its app-based taxi business. In less than a decade, the company has been launched in 785 major cities worldwide and reached a valuation of $72 billion. In 2016, Groth & Co assisted Uber in an opposition in Sweden regarding its main trademark, Uber®. 

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2017

Recycling textiles

Renewcell AB has developed a unique technology for recycling textiles by producing new biodegradable material. By recycling clothes on a large scale, the fashion industry will become more sustainable. Clothing manufacturers around the world now use their recycled material Circulose®. Renewcell engages Groth & Co for its trademark and domain name protection.

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2017

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is a fast-growing technology area with the goal of creating intelligent machines. Most often, these are machines that can imitate human cognitive functions, such as learning and problem solving. Groth & Co has been assisting the Swedish MedTech company ContextVision, carrying out strategic and operational patent work relating to AI and its application in medical images.

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2017

Internet of Things (IoT)

The Internet of Things is a collective term for everyday devices with built-in internet connectivity. This connectivity allows the devices to be controlled remotely and to send and receive data. The technology is expected to affect and streamline a large number of areas, especially in our homes. Groth & Co has assisted Telia with patent work in this fast-growing technology area.

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2017

Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality is an interactive experience in a computer-generated world. Through computer technology, the user can experience and interact with the world. Most often this is done using a pair of VR goggles. Groth & Co has assisted the Swedish innovation company Tobii with patent work relating to Virtual Reality within Eye Tracking.

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2018

Cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrencies are digital means of payment independent of central banks, intermediaries or physical cash. Instead, encryption technology, peer-to-peer networks and digital wallets are used to keep track of the money and to make transactions. Groth & Co has assisted a Swedish software company to draft and file a patent application for a cryptocurrency.

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