The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), marking a significant step toward strengthening India’s intellectual property (IP) ecosystem.
The MoU establishes the FICCI-WIPO IP for Business Center, a strategic initiative aimed at empowering India’s vibrant startup and MSME sectors to leverage IP for innovation, growth, and global competitiveness.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Marco Alemán, WIPO Assistant Director General, emphasized, “This collaboration brings together WIPO’s global IP expertise and FICCI’s deep industry reach. Together, we aim to support Indian enterprises in transforming IP into a strategic business asset.”
The signing took place during Mr. Alemán’s visit to India, which also included his participation at Startup Mahakumbh – Bharat Innovates, where he delivered a keynote and joined a panel discussion on building intellectual capital in a digital, interconnected world. “The creativity, energy, and ambition of India’s startups are a driving force of global innovation,” he noted.
The new IP for Business Center will offer capacity-building programs, strategic advisory services, and direct access to WIPO resources and programs, with the goal of helping businesses safeguard, commercialize, and scale their IP assets. The partnership also plans to deliver nationwide training initiatives tailored for startups, MSMEs, and enforcement agencies.
India’s rise as an innovation powerhouse is evidenced by its leap in the Global Innovation Index—from 81st place in 2015 to 39th in 2024—and its dynamic startup landscape of over 100,000 ventures. This MoU reinforces WIPO’s commitment to supporting inclusive, innovation-led growth worldwide.