Director General Visits Georgia, Pledges Support for Country’s Innovation Hub Ambitions
October 13, 2022
WIPO Director General Daren Tang visited Georgia from October 12-13, 2002 where he met with the President, Prime Minister and other senior officials, as well as celebrated the 30th anniversary of the National Intellectual Property Center of Georgia (SAKPATENTI). During his visit, he announced the extension to the country and region of an initiative to train women entrepreneurs in the use of IP and pledged WIPO’s support for Georgia’s efforts to strengthen its innovation ecosystem.
Mr. Tang also spoke extensively about Georgia’s potential as an innovation hub, noting that all the foundations are in place for this to happen: a location at the crossroads for peoples for thousands of years, ease of doing business, stability and vibrancy, a tradition of arts and culture and a proud heritage of openness and hospitality.
Bilateral Talks
In talks with Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, President Salome Zurabishvili, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Levan Davitashvili and Minister of Education and Science Mikheil Chkhenkeli, the Director General pledged WIPO's support as Georgia continues its innovation-driven development journey.
Georgia’s plans to establish an innovation hub in Kutaisi were at the heart of discussions with Prime Minister Garibashvili. Kutaisi is already a major data hub, and plays host to the Kutaisi International University (KIU), which is establishing itself as one of the leading entrepreneurial universities in the region. The Director General noted that talks are already ongoing between WIPO Academy and KIU to establish a Joint Master’s Program on Intellectual Property.
In a meeting with President Zurabishvili, whom the Director General had first met during her visit to WIPO a year earlier, discussions centered on increasing the participation of women in the innovation ecosystem. Mr. Tang shared that WIPO is engaged in efforts to increase the participation of women in innovation through a variety of activities, including training and mentoring programs. He also revealed that the theme for next year’s World IP Day would be centered on IP and women, a theme that would resonate strongly with the country.
During the meeting with Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Davitashvili, the Director General noted the development strategy outlined by the Minister, and shared it was very strongly aligned with WIPO’s vision of transforming IP from a technical and legal vertical to a cross-cutting horizontal and powerful catalyst for jobs, investments, opportunities and growth.
In discussions with Minister of Education and Science Chkhenkeli, the Director General explored the possibilities of including IP in education curricula from primary schools all the way through to universities. They also discussed plans for the Joint Master’s Degree in IP and Innovation at KIU.
A recurrent theme in the Director General’s bilateral meetings was WIPO's work to support the use of IP by MSMEs, female entrepreneurs and communities in developing countries to grow and develop.
Mr. Tang specifically mentioned WIPO’s Professional Development Program on Geographical Indications, which covers geographical indications (GIs) as well as the importance of developing effective branding strategies.
A total of 28 registrations from Georgia are currently in force under WIPO’s Lisbon System for the international registration of appellations of origin and geographical indications, including famous appellations such as Kakheti wine, Sulguni cheese and Borjomi mineral water.
International Conference on the Role of IP Offices in National Innovation Ecosystems
The Director General also opened an international conference on the role of IP offices in national innovation ecosystems along with Ms. Manana Pruidze, Acting Chairperson of the National Intellectual Property Center of Georgia (SAKPATENTI) and Mr. Levan Davitashvili. The conference was co-organized by WIPO and SAKPATENTI on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of SAKPATENTI. In his opening remarks, the Director General underlined the importance of learning from and working with one another and pledged WIPO’s ongoing support as offices in the region transform from IP registries to innovation agencies.
“Wisely keeping what works well, but boldly pushing into new areas is exactly the spirit that is driving more and more IP offices to transform from IP registries to innovation agencies,” Mr. Tang said.
Mr. Tang announced the recent rollout of WIPO’s Training, Mentoring and Matchmaking Program on IP for Women Entrepreneurs to the Central European and Baltic States countries. This will provide practical support to local communities that specialize in the creation of traditional textiles. Mr. Tang said the Organization is encouraged by the interest that the program has sparked across the entire region.
The event brought together 17 heads of Offices and other senior officials from across Central European and Baltic States and Mediterranean Countries to share best practices. Mr. Tang said that WIPO will continue to work across the region to empower women and youth to capitalize on their innovative and creative potential.
The Director General pledged WIPO's ongoing support as these IP Offices continue their transformation journey, including through the creation of new projects that bring IP to the grassroots, unlocking IP financing for SMEs and supporting the uptake of WIPO's international registration systems across the region.
Enhanced Cooperation
Mr. Tang also visited SAKPATENTI, which was celebrating its 30th anniversary. He signed a memorandum of understanding with SAKPATENTI relating to cooperation in the field of alternative dispute resolution. This followed a cultural visit to the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, the oldest cathedral in Georgia’s former capital, Mtskheta.
At SAKPATENTI, Mr. Tang led an “Ask Me Anything” session with staff of the IP Office – a wide range of topics were discussed, including WIPO’s work to support SMEs, students, startups, judges and female entrepreneurs in building practical IP skills.
Georgia has long played a leading role in IP education, Mr. Tang said. SAKPATENTI's close relationship with the WIPO Academy has helped to establish a Georgian IP Training Center, a customized and translated course on how to generate revenue from IP, and a GI Professional Development Program, which is helping to preserve Georgia's proud heritage in food, drink and handicrafts and to bring these traditions to the world.
And with SAKPATENTI, Mr. Tang underscored the progress that the Office is making in IP training and he reaffirmed that WIPO stands ready to provide further assistance as SAKPATENTI uses IP to translate research into impact.
GITA
Mr. Tang also met with the Chairman of the Georgia Technology and Innovation Agency (GITA), Mr. Avtandil Kasradze, and a number of startups. The Director General emphasized the importance of translating IP into commercial impact and urged the agency to explore new ways, with WIPO support, to raise IP awareness amongst and deliver business friendly IP tools to the business community.
WIPO Director General Tang met with the Chairman of the Georgia Technology and Innovation Agency (GITA), Mr. Avtandil Kasradze, and a number of startups (photos: SAKPATENTI).
Participants said that IP and data are now their biggest asset, given that IP protection establishes credibility for investors and is an indispensable prerequisite for start-ups wishing to scale up their business and expand to other countries. Mr. Tang pledged WIPO’s support to innovators, noting these efforts align with WIPO’s vision of IP as a horizontal catalyst for jobs, investment, business growth and, ultimately, economic transformation.