2026 Women and IP Symposium for IP and Innovation Offices

The Women and IP Symposium brings together representatives from IP and innovation offices, policymakers, innovators, and experts to share experiences, challenges, good practices and practical approaches for advancing women's participation in innovation and the IP ecosystem.

The 2026 Women and IP Symposium takes place May 11 to 13, 2026, at WIPO headquarters in Geneva and online. This fourth edition, builds on the success of the 2025 edition hosted by WIPO, and the 2023 and 2024 editions hosted by the USPTO.

This year’s Symposium reflects WIPO's commitment to working with IP and innovation offices and governments to strengthen and advance women’s participation in IP and innovation, as outlined in WIPO’s strategy on IP in support of women and girls, the IP and Gender Action Plan (IPGAP). The 2026 Symposium continues to provide a platform for IP and innovation offices to advance their knowledge, collaboration, and practical actions to support women innovators and creators around the world.

This year, interpretation is available in the six official UN languages (English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish).

May 11 to 13, 2026

Fourth session

Location: Geneva and online

Program highlights

Held over three days, the Symposium features a series of in-depth discussions on key themes such as:

Using data and evidence to better measure and understand women’s participation in IP and innovation
Designing inclusive policies and programs that support women innovators and entrepreneurs
Career development, leadership, and inclusive workplace cultures within IP offices
IP education and capacity-building for women and girls
Foresight and strategic planning to build more inclusive IP systems for the future
Youth engagement initiatives to inspire and equip young women and girls to learn about IP and understand its role in creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship
Communication and outreach strategies to reach communities underrepresented in IP
Public–private partnerships to strengthen inclusive innovation ecosystems

Additionally, the Symposium also explores how IP and innovation agencies can support women in emerging technologies, including AI and the digital economy, and opportunities to build IP awareness and foster inclusive growth in these rapidly evolving fields.

Program [PDF]

Registration

All representatives from IPOs and governmental agencies who have received an invitation are requested to complete the online registration form, for both online and in-person participation. Registration is mandatory for participation, regardless of the chosen attendance format.

The Symposium takes place at WIPO headquarters in Geneva and features a hybrid format. Interpretation is available in the six official UN languages (English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish).

Frequently asked questions

The Symposium is a key initiative, under WIPO’s Intellectual Property and Gender Action Plan (IPGAP), which provides a global platform for IP and innovation offices to exchange knowledge, strengthen capacities, and build partnerships in support of women and girls in innovation, creativity, and intellectual property.

Participants from these offices take part in a three-day program combining expert presentations, thematic discussions, practical case studies, and interactive workshops. The event explores priority areas for policymakers to consider when developing IP ecosystems that effectively support and increase women's use of IP, including:

Building IP education and capacity,
Designing IP and innovation policies and interventions,
Conducting research and sex-disaggregated data collection to inform policymaking,
Strengthening institutional practices,
Sustaining outreach and engagement with women entrepreneurs,
Advancing emerging technologies,
Applying strategic foresight,
Forging public–private partnerships.

Through practical exchanges and peer learning, participants share experiences and approaches that can be adapted to national and institutional contexts. The event also strengthens connections among national offices and contributes to a growing international network committed to advancing women's participation in innovation and IP.

No. The Symposium is organized in a hybrid format, enabling participants to join both in person at WIPO Headquarters in Geneva, and online, and supporting broad participation from IP and innovation offices across regions.