WIPO Director General Daren Tang Visits Slovenia
September 27, 2023
WIPO Director General Daren Tang paid a three-day visit to Slovenia, where he met President Nataša Pirc Musar, pledged WIPO’s support for the country’s new intellectual property (IP) strategy and engaged with top government officials as well as representatives from the business, research and creative communities.
Bilateral Meetings
In his meeting with President Musar, Mr. Tang and the President discussed the country’s new national IP strategy, which Mr. Tang underlined WIPO had earlier committed to support. They also discussed initiatives to promote gender equality in the global innovation ecosystem, artificial intelligence (AI), and how IP can promote attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In a meeting with Ms. Urška Klakočar Zupančič, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, discussions focused on the broader vision of IP as a catalyst for economic growth and how IP can support the efforts to tackle climate change. The Director General also underlined the role of WIPO Green as a marketplace where holders and seekers of green technologies can connect.
During the meeting with Mr. Matjaž Han, Minister of Economy, Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Slovenia, the discussions focused on the importance of IP for the economy and how the new National IP Strategy will support Slovenian innovator and creators. The meeting was followed by a press conference.
The Director General and Dr. Igor Papič, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of the Republic of Slovenia, discussed the necessary balance between IP, scientific publications and open access to knowledge. They also explored activities that can support commercialization and industry and scientific community cooperation, such as research funding, IP and financing, or revenue sharing.
Visit and Roundtable at the Jožef Stefan Institute
The Director General visited the Jožef Stefan Institute (JSI), a leading Slovenian scientific research institute for basic and applied research in natural sciences, life sciences and engineering. After the visit he joined a roundtable on IP and commercialization and participated in a WIPO awards ceremony, where Krka d.d., Novo Mesto received the WIPO National Award for Enterprises and Prof. ddr. Denis Đonlagić the WIPO National Award for Inventors.
Discussion with collective management organizations
Over lunch with representatives of collective management organizations (CMOs), together with Karin Žvokelj, Director, Slovenian Intellectual Property Office, the Director General discussed how to support the many creative artists in Slovenia.
Meeting with startup companies in Ljubljana Technology Park
The startup fair provided an opportunity to meet people behind the many successful innovative products and services in Slovenia. The fair was followed by a hybrid meeting with tech companies, moderated by Mr. Jernej Pintar, CEO of Technology Park Ljubljana. The exchange included such topics as the impact of emerging technologies on startups, the role of WIPO in helping startups protect their IP on a limited budget, IP enforcement, or how to avoid common IP mistakes.
Visit to Aerosol
The Director General met the team at Aerosol Magee Scientific – one of the winners of this year’s WIPO Global Awards – and had the opportunity to see directly how the company is combining technology and design. The company is a leading developer and manufacturer of air quality measurement instruments, leveraging on patents and trademarks to protect their innovations and branding.
Meeting with Innovation Day Winners
During a meeting together with Ms. Vesna Nahtigal, General Manager of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Director General had the opportunity to discuss the many innovative activities undertaken by the present industry leaders, who have won the Slovenian Golden National Awards 2023.
Meeting in Bled
During a meeting by Lake Bled, the Director General met with Mr. Matevž Frangež, State Secretary, Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport, where together with representatives of the SID Bank (Slovenian Export and Development Bank) and the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency, they discussed the potential for creating opportunities for IP-backed financing in Slovenia.
Meeting with the Management of the Slovenian Intellectual Property Office (SIPO)
During a dinner hosted by Karin Žvokelj, the Director General had the opportunity to meet the heads of the departments of SIPO and discuss with them the opportunities and challenges for IP offices.