WIPO
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.
Harnessing Public Research for Innovation in the 21st Century
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), together with Cambridge University press, has published a book to propose a framework to evaluate knowledge transfer practices, improve knowledge transfer metrics and evaluation frameworks, generate findings on what does and does not work regarding knowledge transfer, and offer relevant policy lessons. It does so based on studies and insights from three developed and three emerging economies: the United Kingdom, Germany, the Republic of Korea, Brazil, China, and South Africa. The book reflects WIPO’s larger program of support for universities and research institutions in the use of IP for advancing knowledge transfer to support economic growth and sustainable futures.
WIPO IP Diagnostic
This WIPO tool enables users to undertake a basic diagnostic of the intellectual property situation of their business. It is in the form of a questionnaire with several sections that asks questions on different IP topics (e.g. innovative products, trademarks, licensing, designs, internationalisation, etc.). The tool then generates a report that gives recommendations and further information on IP and business competitiveness.
VIDEO: Why Researchers Need an IP Strategy
On October 8, 2020, 4iP Council held a webinar to explore the relevance of IP for research for both public and private spheres. The speakers, Dr. Peter Oksen, Senior Program Officer of WIPO GREEN, and Prof. Koenraad Debackere, Executive Director of KU Leuven Research and Development, discussed the role of IP in technology transfer, the related legal context and its variations across Europe.
WIPO Re:Search
By catalyzing a broad range of innovative collaborations, WIPO Re:Search supports early-stage research and development (R&D) in the fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), malaria, and tuberculosis. Harnessing the power of public-private partnerships, it helps make IP available to scientists who need it. Moreover, through WIPO Re:Search, scientists from a range of countries have had the chance to participate in scientific exchanges and training abroad. This was an unanticipated benefit from the initiative. Innovation Council member Novartis was a founding member of WIPO Re:Search.
WIPO’s Inventor Assistance Program
The Inventor Assistance Program (IAP) – a WIPO initiative in cooperation with the World Economic Forum – is the first global program to match developing country inventors and small businesses with limited financial means with patent attorneys. These experts provide pro bono legal assistance to help inventors secure patent protection. Participating countries are Colombia, Ecuador, Morocco, Peru, the Philippines, South Africa. Innovation Council members Novartis and Qualcomm are on the advisory board of the IAP, and were instrumental in its establishment.
WIPO Pat-Informed: information about meds patents
The Patent Information Initiative for Medicines (Pat-INFORMED) provides a service to the global health community, particularly those involved in procurement of medicines, by facilitating easy access to medicine patent information. The data is provided directly by the biopharmaceutical companies and hosted by WIPO. Anyone can search the Pat-INFORMED database simply by entering a medicine’s INN (International Nonproprietary Name) to obtain relevant information about its patent status in a particular country. Innovation Council supports this effort to enhance transparency around patents and health technologies.
WIPO Intangible Capital and Assets in Global Value Chains
The World Intellectual Property Report 2017 and Economic Research Working Paper No. 41 examine the crucial role of intangibles such as technology, design and branding in international manufacturing. The WIPO 2017 report examines global value chains for three products – coffee, photovoltaic energy cells, and smartphones. The Working Paper uses data on individual smartphones as well as industry data to identify which smartphone firms capture the most value.