Expanding access to the patent system for underserved innovators by bringing new opportunities for them to protect and commercialize their ideas, the Inventor Assistance Program (IAP) is deepening its engagement in Peru through targeted capacity-building and awareness-raising initiatives. On March 25, 2026, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), in collaboration with the National Institute for the Defense of Competition and Protection of Intellectual Property (INDECOPI), delivered an online event aimed at innovators and entrepreneurs new to the patent system. The webinar brought together more than 90 participants, with over 30 joining via a live stream on INDECOPI’s Facebook page, including inventors, entrepreneurs, SMEs, and patent practitioners.
The main objective was to raise awareness of the IAP among Peruvian inventors and micro and small enterprises with limited resources, encouraging them to access free specialized patent services offered by the IAP. Participants also gained practical insights into patent protection and how to develop strong, market-oriented applications.
In his opening remarks, Manuel Javier Castro Calderón, Director, Department of Inventions and New Technologies, INDECOPI, highlighted the importance of the IAP for participating countries, including Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru in the Latin American region, noting that the Program “reflects a joint effort to strengthen innovation ecosystems and promote broader access to the patent system for inventors”.
One of the most valuable aspects of this program is that it fosters a collaborative model that connects inventors with skilled IP professionals who provide pro bono support throughout the process of preparing and filing patent applications. In this way, barriers to access to the patent system are reduced, facilitating the development and protection of promising inventions.
Manuel Javier Castro Calderón
In partnership with INDECOPI, WIPO launched the IAP in Peru in 2020. Since then, 29 Peruvian inventors, including nine SMEs, have benefited from the Program, and 13 have successfully secured patent protection for their innovations in Peru and abroad. Among them is Jorge Alonso Delgado Sáenz, who shared his experience as an IAP beneficiary in securing a patent for his invention – a biosorbent wastewater treatment system.
Valuable practical tips to consider before drafting and submitting a patent application were provided by Paola Armutt Villanueva, Patent Attorney, Senior Associate at Estudio Muñiz and IAP volunteer. Her guidance aimed to help innovators assess their ideas more effectively and improve the quality of their applications.
Valeria Tamara Díaz Silva, Analyst for Inventions and New Technologies, Department of Inventions and New Technologies, INDECOPI – IAP focal point in Peru, and Marta Díaz Pozo, Legal Officer, IP Commercialization Section, IP for Innovators Department, IP and Innovation Ecosystems Sector, WIPO, presented an overview of the IAP’s benefits for innovators and the local eligibility criteria for becoming an IAP beneficiary, encouraging more Peruvian inventors and entrepreneurs to participate in the Program.
The webinar also included a Q&A session, allowing participants to engage directly with the speakers and ask questions related to the presentations, as well as other practical issues.
As the IAP continues to expand its services – supporting beneficiaries not only in protecting their inventions but also in bringing their ideas to market – INDECOPI aims to extend the Program’s reach across all regions of Peru. The goal is to equip local innovators with the free, specialized guidance they need to protect their inventions and pursue commercialization opportunities, while strengthening the country’s innovation capacity and fostering greater participation in the IP system among Peruvian entrepreneurs.