WIPO, in collaboration with the Slovenian Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) and the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), successfully delivered a three-day IP Valuation Workshop and Stakeholder Consultations in Ljubljana from 17 to 19 June 2025, with support from the Republic of Korea Funds-in-Trust (FIT-Korea).
The workshop brought together stakeholders from government ministries, TTOs, startups, and neighboring IP offices (Austria, Croatia, and Hungary) to explore the role of IP valuation in unlocking access to finance for innovative enterprises.
In his opening remarks, State Secretary Dejan Židan emphasized:
Slovenia recognises the importance of intellectual property in the modern economy. We have adopted a national strategy, defined the necessary activities with an action plan, and are now taking the first implementation steps.
SIPO Director Karin Žvokelj, added:
Our objective is to create an environment where intellectual property is acknowledged and properly valued as an asset that can serve as collateral for loans and as a basis for investment. We believe that Slovenia can become a model of good practice within the European sphere.
Allison Mages, Head of the IP Commercialization Section at WIPO, noted:
Today, intellectual property rights and related intangible assets are often the most valuable components of modern business models, yet their use for financing remains in its infancy in most parts of the world. Through this workshop, we aim to strengthen the foundations in Slovenia for consistent, credible, and professional valuation of these assets, which is crucial for developing IP based financing.
The technical sessions were led by Peter Kaldos, who guided participants through valuation methodologies, financial modeling techniques, and case-based exercises. Bonwon Koo and Haesol Park, from the Korea Invention Promotion Association (KIPA), shared Korea’s progress in IP finance, including the development of their SMART Platform, an automated tool for patent evaluation .
Contributions from both international and local experts enriched the discussions, offering practical insights into regulatory challenges, implementation hurdles, and evolving best practices in the field.
WIPO is proud to support Member States like Slovenia in laying the groundwork for a more robust IP financing ecosystem—one built on professional valuation standards, institutional capacity, and public-private collaboration.
To read more about the event, visit the official press release from the Government of Slovenia.