An expert in electrochemistry, Nico's cross-sector practice spans sustainable technology, healthcare and software. He also leverages his commercial acumen from working within a technology transfer and venture capital enterprise to offer focused, strategic advice to his clients. Nico adeptly handles contentious matters, due diligence and freedom-to-operate opinions for start-ups to multinationals at the forefront of emerging technologies including batteries, fuel cells, hydrogen production, water purification, photochemistry, display technology, advanced materials and diagnostics.
 
Nico graduated with a first-class degree and PhD in Chemistry from Imperial College London, going on to post-doctoral research at the University of Oxford investigating the electrochemical and frictional characteristics of carbon nanomaterials, and authoring several research articles. Working at a university technology transfer office and venture capital fund he specialised in invention capture, budget management and evaluation of commercial opportunities before joining Kilburn & Strode. He is fluent in Finnish and Portuguese. 

Qualifications

European Patent Attorney 
Chartered UK Patent Attorney
PhD, Chemistry – Imperial College London (2013)
MSci, Chemistry – Imperial College London (2009)
Postgraduate Certificate in Intellectual Property – Queen Mary University of London

 
Memberships

Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA)
The Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (EPI)

Innovation Capture 101, Kilburn & Strode (2019) 
 
van Engers, C., Cousens, N., Babenko, V., Britton, J., Zappone, B., Grobert, N., & Perkin, S. “Direct measurement of the surface energy of graphene.” Nano Letters (2017) 17(6), 3815-3821.
 
Cousens, Nico E. A. & Kucernak, Anthony R. J. "Reversible ultralow-voltage liquid–liquid electrowetting without a dielectric layer." Faraday Discussions 199 (2017): 63-73.

Cousens, Nico E.A., et al. "A graphene surface force balance." Langmuir 30.38 (2014): 11485-11492.

Cousens, Nico E. A., et al. "Preparation and characterisation of high-density ionic liquids incorporating halobismuthate anions." Dalton Transactions 43.28 (2014): 10910-10919.

Cousens, Nico E. A. & Kucernak, Anthony R. J. "Electrochemistry of the ionic liquid|oil interface: A new water-free interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions." Electrochemistry Communications 31 (2013): 63-66.

​Cousens, Nico E. A. & Kucernak, Anthony R. J. "Increasing the potential window of the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions to more than 1.2 V." Electrochemistry Communications 13.12 (2011): 1539-1541.