Inclusive Innovation Ecosystems
It is widely recognized that innovation will be required to address the pressing challenges facing societies today. Success is more likely when all available talent and experience can be leveraged. A wide range of actors must be able to participate in innovation ecosystems. Intellectual property rights help to make this happen. IP rights such as patents allow technology and know-how to be shared and traded. They enable innovators without a significant in-house R&D capacity to access and use technology, and to integrate that technology into their value chains. Innovators of all types and sizes benefit from access to these business tools. Certain innovators – such as SMEs and minority inventors – will require support to secure protection for and effectively manage their IP. Innovation Council supports initiatives to broaden participation in innovation ecosystems.
Future-Proofing SME and Entrepreneurship Policies – OECD
The OECD has a new publication reporting on discussions that were held at its SME and Entrepreneurship Ministerial Meeting, 27-28 June 2023. With the global context having radically evolved in the last three years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukraine conflict, and other challenges, policies will also need to evolve in order to ensure that SMEs are resilient and have access to the support they require. The publication notes the need to find a balance between guaranteeing long-run financial support and providing the right conditions for SMEs to compete and become more productive. Furthermore, the policies need to be people-centred and granular as SMEs can widely differ, with no one policy fitting all of their collective needs.
Click here to read the full paper.
Invent Together Executive Director: Investments in Female Inventors and Success in Tech Innovation are Directly Related
New research from WIPO about gender representation on PCT applications reveals that China has been able to grow the quantity of women inventors at nearly double the rate of the U.S. in recent decades, with 42% female inventors in China compared to 22% in the U.S. This Fortune article from Holly Fechner, the Executive Director of Invent Together, highlights the importance of utilizing the ideas and ingenuity of female inventors as well as those from other historically underrepresented groups, especially since global competition in technology is so intense and thus the stakes are high.
Click here to read the full article.
The Inventor’s Patent Academy Updates
Invent Together and Qualcomm Inc recently updated TIPA to enhance the course content as well as increase its functionality and accessibility. TIPA is now accessible via mobile, has voice narration, shortened learning capsules and extra resource links. Currently around 1200 students are enrolled in the program and USPTO’s First-Time Filer Expedited Examination Pilot Program is using TIPA as a learning resource. This is a brilliant resource, and we hope TIPA can keep expanding to create further innovation and patenting opportunities for underrepresented groups.
Click here to read more
The Hidden Bridge featuring Laurie Self and Holly Fechner
This insightful article from LINE Publication features Laurie Self and Holly Fechner as they highlight the progress that is being made to make the patent system as accessible as possible.
Less than 13% of all inventors listed on U.S. patents are women and Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and multiracial Americans account for even less at only 8% of all U.S. inventors. Qualcomm and Invent Together are partnering to try and tackle this inequality, as well as signifying the importance of universities, non-profits and other stakeholders in understanding the diversity gaps and helping to close them.
Click here to read the article
IP Podcast Series by 4iP
4iP have launched an ‘IP Stories’ podcast, looking at individuals’ unique perspectives on IP.
We think they are great and definitely worth a listen!!
Innovation Council submission to the ITC investigation on the TRIPS Agreement
Innovation Council submitted these perspectives to the ITC investigation of COVID-19 Diagnostics and Therapeutics and Flexibilites under the TRIPS Agreement.
There are many actions that could help to improve the availability of COVID therapeutics and diagnostics; setting aside IP protection is not one of them. Based on experience, we expect this will not help in establishing further manufacturing capacity – and, in fact, weaker IP could make this likely to succeed. IP protection supports the extension of global biomanufacturing capacity, by making tech transfer more legally certain, and support innovation and commercialization of new solutions in this sector.
https://innovationcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Innovation-Council-ITC-Submission.pdf
Moderated Discussion with Geneva Delegates: Insights from Biomanufacturing Experts
Innovation Council recently hosted an insightful webinar with leaders in biologics manufacturing and R&D from emerging markets.
The speakers, Syed Ahmed from TechInvention, Charlie Nemugumoni from AVMI and Rajinder Suri from DCVMN drew on lessons from COVID-19 and practical experience to discuss how to reinforce global biomanufacturing R&D networks for overall healthcare delivery as well as pandemic preparedness.
Thank you to the speakers for an informative and exciting discussion!
Innovation Council Member Q&A: The African Vaccine Manufacturing Initiative (AVMI)
USPTO Pilot Program Reduced Gender Disparities in Patenting
The United States Patents and Trademark Office (USPTO) undertook a randomized control trial to assess the value that could be provided by increasing guidance and information for inventors, especially women, about patents.
Women are more likely to enter the patent system through small and micro entities, which do not have legal patent support or advice, therefore providing additional guidance can aid women in patenting their inventions, subsequently closing the gender gap in patenting. The Pro Se Pilot Examination Unit was able to increase all women’s likelihood of receiving a patent by 16.8 percentage points.
Click here to read more.