Intellectual and Cultural Property

Suzanne Lee speaking at a podium

Biofabricate CEO Suzanne Lee spoke with WIPO about her multiple patents and her road to biofabrication and why we must take microorganisms seriously as the fabric of the future.

Inna Braverman wears a suit and stands knee-deep in the sea.

Amid growing climate concerns and energy price hikes, there is growing interest in renewables to meet out energy needs. A pioneering technology that harnesses the power of the waves to generate electricity, offers a promising new source of affordable, clean energy. Inna Braverman, co-founder and CEO of Eco Wave Power and a leading expert in renewable energy is committed to changing “the world one wave at a time.” She discusses the critical importance of intellectual property to the company with WIPO and encourages women to believe in themselves and to pursue their ambitions.

Portrait of Aisha Bowe

WIPO presents Aisha Bowe, who will make history as the first black woman to travel to space with Blue Origin - as a rocket scientist and entrepreneur, Aisha knows to protect intellectual property.

Award logo

WIPO calls for applicants for the 2023 Global Awards program, seeking small and medium-sized enterprises candidates that use intellectual property (IP)-backed innovation and creativity.

The characters from the Netflix show Stranger Things

The recent success of Running Up That Hill thanks to TV show Stranger Things, shows how important it is for artists to manage their rights effectively, in particular, by registering their works.

 

An illustration of a battery next to a car at the pump.

Innovation in transport-related hydrogen fuel cells has boomed for the technology that can power vehicles without the emissions that contribute to global climate change, a new WIPO report shows.

Two young people sit with illustrations of innovative ideas around them.

The youth of today are an incredible and largely untapped source of creativity and ingenuity. There are around 1.8 billion young people in the world today. Young people, as natural agents of change, are stepping up to innovation challenges, using their energy and ingenuity, their curiosity and creativity towards a better future. World Intellectual Property Day 2022 is an opportunity for young people to find out how IP rights can support their goals, help transform their ideas into reality, generate income, create jobs and make a positive impact on the world around them.

An image of an exhibit inside a building from a smartphone

Take the WIPO virtual tour around the world to discover examples of global geographical indications - signs linking products to a specific place of origin, a certificate of authenticity.

wallet and smartphone

Misplacing personal possessions is a universal phenomenon. Looking to provide a new solution to this age-old problem, a Tokyo-based startup developed a smart tracking tag and app to help people keep track of their belongings.

A woman opens the buckles of a leather purse.

WIPO reports on how luxury goods markets find robust intellectual property portfolios behind famous brands, which tend to be worth a substantial amount of the entire companies.

A contour drawing of the globe connected by lines to the arts, technology, music, and literature.

World Intellectual Property Day 2021 shines a light on the critical role of small and medium-sized enterprises in the economy and how intellectual property (IP) rights can build stronger, more competitive and resilient businesses. In 2000, WIPO's member states designated April 26 – the day on which the WIPO Convention came into force in 1970 – as World IP Day. Since then, the Day has offered a unique opportunity to join with others around the globe to consider how IP contributes to the flourishing of music and the arts and to driving the technological innovation that helps shape our world.

Report cover

According to the WIPO Technology Trends Report 2021: Assistive Technologies, over 1 billion people currently need assistive technology - a figure expected to double in the next decade as populations age. At the same time, consumer electronics and assistive products are converging, meaning even greater commercialization of these technologies. The report shows that innovations, ranging from small improvements to cutting-edge developments in frontier technologies, can improve the lives of persons with functional limitations.

Hands selecting pepper seeds with tweezers.

Cambodia has recorded Kampot Pepper as the first geographical indication registered via the WIPO, protecting its geographic origin.

studio recording of press conference

The annual World Intellectual Property Indicators Report collects and analyzes intellectual property (IP) data from some 150 national and regional offices to inform on macro trends in innovation and creativity. The report's 2019 figures, which pre-date the COVID-19 pandemic, underline the long-building growth in demand for the intellectual property tools that incentivize an increasingly global and digital-focused economy, said WIPO Director General Daren Tang.

Illustration of 50,000 cases

The WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center has registered its 50,000th “cybersquatting” case, a major milestone capping two decades of pro-consumer activity ensuring Internet users can easily find genuine sites for the brands they love and trust. The Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) is at the heart of WIPO’s anti-cybersquatting service.  It was created in 1999 by WIPO and is used by brand owners around the world to combat abuse of their trademarks in domain names.