IP Management for Green Products

July 9, 2021

On June 17 and 18, 2021, WIPO held a green-technology focused IP Management Clinic. The project delivered tangible support to select Green Tech SMEs through feedback and guidance on companies’ IP management strategies from WIPO staff together with IP commercialization experts.  

The program included the presentation of eight green technology SMEs (from Brazil (2), Japan (2), Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Ukraine) that showcased their business and IP strategies, as well as their challenges in this respect, with the support and feedback of three IP commercialization experts, experts from WIPO GREEN and IPBD, and representatives from Intel and Unilever. The eight featured companies were selected through the WIPO GREEN network.

WIPO speakers presented WIPO’s work and the support it can offer enterprises and gave presentation on the trade secret management.  The representative from IPOS International, Singapore shared their best practices in supporting SME IP management.

Group discussion on patenting strategies for green technology and branding products as environmentally-friendly highlighted some of the challenges SMEs face when developing their IP strategies:

• Challenges of raising funds;
• Lack of IP awareness and resources;
• Understanding of IP commercialization and the typical commercialization tools that help a business grow and expand;
• Securing IP;
• Branding technologies appropriately;
• Barriers to get access to some markets.

Participants shared their ideas on how WIPO could further shape its support for enterprises in the future through a survey. The importance to receive continued guidance by WIPO in identifying and protecting their IP was emphasized, and by doing so, to make their products more competitive in the market.

The high number of registered participants (137) from 41 member states and the sheer volume of questions during Q&A sessions, confirm the high interest and engagement of participants. 

Based on the workshop discussions and outcomes, an IP Management Checklist will be created, a step-by-step approach to determining the IP issues to be considered at different points in the product cycle.

Links to the two half-day sessions are available (Day 1 and Day 2)