IP education
Route to Market Guide for Innovators
The Route to Market (R2M) series is being developed by the Department of Research Contracts & Innovation (RC&I) at the University of Cape Town using funding from the Department of Science and Technology’s National Intellectual Property Office (NIPMO). Each booklet focuses on a specific sector/product type and highlights the key steps and considerations in bringing such a product to market in that sector – with an emphasis on the local South African context.
The hope is that this guide on Medical Devices and other booklets, such as this guide on Pharmaceutical Products will be useful to both Researchers and Innovators, as well as Technology Transfer professionals working at institutional Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs).
The books have been released under a Creative Commons license to enable other institutions to customise them for their own use.
Addressing the IP Gender Gap
This series of virtual events will take a look at the IP gender gap in the Americas region. Political leaders, heads of IP offices, economists, and scholars will discuss how best to attract underrepresented groups to use the patent system, what data needs to be collected in order to understand the gap, and how to interpret new and existing data in order to develop solutions that will help close the gap.
The High-Level Policy panel will take place on 13 October, 5:30-6:30pm CET // 11:30am-12:30pm EDT // 8:30-9:30am PDT.
The IP Economist panel will take place on 14 October, 5-7pm CET // 11am-1pm EDT // 8-10am PDT.
Lack of diversity in patent holders means ‘half of the population’ isn’t getting needs met, economist Lisa Cook says
Diversity gaps in the U.S. patent system persist, in part, because of an absence of data on patent applicants. This lack of transparency has meant that patent holders are predominantly white, male and wealthy.
A recent study found that women, especially African-American and Latina women, obtain patents at significantly lower rates than men; people of color get approved for patents less often than white people; and individuals from lower-income families are less likely to acquire a patent than those who grew up in affluent families.
“Throughout history, women and underrepresented minorities have not been able to participate fully in each stage of the innovation process,” Lisa Cook, a professor of economics and international relations at Michigan State University.
The inclusion of these underrepresented groups would evidently also have a positive impact on the economy and would increase U.S. GDP by 2.7% per capita, and by roughly $1 trillion annually. The economic activity from patents is estimated to be over $8 trillion, more than one-third of U.S gross domestic product.
Policy approaches to close the intellectual property gender gap
Click here through Innovation Council’s presentation on “Policy approaches to close the intellectual property gender gap”. Innovation Council’s Jennifer Brant and Mark Schultz presented the findings on 29 July during the plenary session of the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP) hosted by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
The IC intervention starts at 01:38:52.
Tackling the Gender and Racial Patenting Gap to Drive Innovation: Lessons from Women’s Experiences
This brief describes the challenges and facilitators to success that women inventors face at each stage of the process. It first discusses the systemic barriers to innovation and patenting faced by women, women’s lack of formal education on the patenting process, informal education on patenting and the importance of mentors, and gatekeepers to patenting. Then the brief details how barriers to the patenting process, and the supports women need to overcome them, differ by industry and sector. It concludes with policy and program recommendations that, if implemented, will help promote diversity in the innovation and patenting process. Watch the related panel discussion with women inventors, and Institute for Women’s Policy Research presents their research on the challenges women inventors face based on gender and race and how to overcome them. For more information, visit https://inventtogether.org/
Read the full story and watch the discussion.
Closing the Gender Gap in IP – Exploring Multi-stakeholder initiatives
Holly Fechner from Invent together is speaking in a sharing session on “Exploring Multi-stakeholder Initiatives that Encourage Women to Participate in, and Contribute to, the Innovation Ecosystem” organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on 07 July.
Challenges for Women Inventors and Innovators in Using the IP System
Jozefina Cutura explains that, despite marked improvements in gender equality, gender gaps persist in patenting and in women’s ability to commercialize their creative and innovative output. Under its Policy on Gender Equality, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) must integrate a gender perspective into its policies and programs. Given the gender disparities in patenting, WIPO is undertaking a project on increasing the role of women in innovation and entrepreneurship, which aims, in particular, to encourage women in developing countries to use the intellectual property (IP) system.
IP strategy is a global business strategy
Learn how to protect your intellectual property (IP) domestically and internationally at Phoenix (PHX) Startup Week. Join Wayne Stacy, Director of the USPTO’s Silicon Valley Regional Office, and Ruth Soberanes, International Trade Specialist for the U.S. Commercial Services – Phoenix, in a discussion of why and how startups should consider protecting their intellectual property (IP), what to expect when selling domestically vs. internationally, and U.S. government resources available to assist startups going global. PHX Startup Week is a five-day online event providing education, connection, and support to entrepreneurs in collaboration with StartupAZ Foundation. Registration is required, but the USPTO does not charge any fees associated with registration.
World IP Day 2021: IP & SMEs: Taking your ideas to market
World Intellectual Property Day 2021 shines a light on the critical role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the economy and how they can use intellectual property (IP) rights to build stronger, more competitive and resilient businesses. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has developed interactive materials to learn more about IP and its use for SMEs.