Round Table Discussion: Taking your ideas to market by IP & SMEs

Round Table Discussion, On the Occasion of World Intellectual Property Day 

IP & SMEs: Taking your ideas to market

Context

World Intellectual Property Day 26 April established by the World Intellectual Property Organization, (WIPO) in 2000 to "raise awareness of how patents, copyright, trademarks and designs impact on daily life" and "to celebrate creativity, and the contribution made by creators and innovators to the development of societies across the globe. The 26 April coincides with the date on which the Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization entered into force in 1970.

This year, the theme of IP day is SMEs and taking ideas to market as set by WIPO.

Small and medium sized enterprises or SMEs count for about 90 percent of economy in the world. They have been called the backbone of the economy. The development of SMEs, especially in the current situation and in the aftermath of the pandemic, could play a crucial role in the recovery of the economies worldwide. It is estimated that globally women own approximately one third of all formal SMEs which indicates a considerable gender gap. Lack of access to funding, negative gender stereotyping and cultural discouragement are some of the biggest challenges and hurdles that women face.

The significant role that IP can play in SMEs has not been fully appreciated by many entrepreneurs and SME owners. IP system and IP rights are not just an obscure legal means for big pharmaceuticals or giant tech holders. Awareness of IP, in particular in the knowledge-driven economy of today, from the moment that an idea is born to when that it has transformed into a product or service and hits the market, is a necessity for all who are managing an SME or plan to start. To name a few, here are some benefits that a sound IP system could bring to SMEs:

• It can protect the innovation and creative products, designs that the company is based on or comes up with along its way and give the company some advantage against their competitors
• Having protected IP assets could attract investors and financing
• IP system could help create goodwill and visibility for the company and its products
• IP system and having protected IP assets could create opportunities for licensing and making profits via royalties or even franchising

Awareness of IP system and use of a strategic IP management plan, could give the SMEs a competitive edge along with the assurances of the fact that their IP assets are safely protected.

World IP day is a great opportunity for all the women, who wish to translate their ideas to into valuable products and services that are distributed in the market, to learn how they can use the IP system to build a strong business, protect their innovations and turn them into bankable IP assets.  

The dialogue

Through this roundtable discussion, the distinguished speakers are brought together to discuss Role and Involvement of Women in Intellectual Property System. Through knowledge exchanges and policy dialogues, this roundtable discussion will help in providing inputs and developing a common foundation on challenges and opportunities for women in Intellectual Property System.

This dialogue is compounded with questions namely:

1. What is the role of IP system in promoting creativity and innovation?
2. On which dimensions would creativity and innovation be a challenge to address, and which of these dimensions can make a difference and/or should prioritize? 
3. What are some of the main gaps in women engagement and where do we need more improvements?

The Proposed Agenda- 60 Minutes:  

• 14:00 - 14:05 - Opening remarks by Hulya Kurt, OWIT Lake Geneva President
• 14:05 - 14:15 - Key note speaker - Tamara Nanayakkara, WIPO counsellor for small and medium-sized enterprise support division
• 14:15 - 14:25 - Key note speaker - Caroline B Ncube - South African Intellectual Property Law Journal co-editor, SARChI Research Chair in Intellectual Property, Innovation and Development - Department of Commercial Law professor 
• 14:25 - 14:35 - Key note speaker - Debbie David - Advanz Fidelis Deputy CEO and Department Head of Patents, INTA - Indigenous Rights committee
• 14:35 - 14:45 - Key note speaker Sanaz Javadi - UN - EUIPO IP Lecturer & Project Adviser, OWIT Lake Geneva VP Partnerships 
• 14:45 - 14:55 - Q&A
• 14:55 - 15:00 - Conclusions & Closing Remarks

For futher questions please contact our VP Partnership, Sanaz Javadi at vppartnerships@owit-lakegeneva.org. 

OWIT Lake Geneva Team