COMSATS, an INSME member, held workshops on IP training in Islamabad on December 19-20 in collaboration with the national Intellectual Property Organization (IPO). The event gave early-career researchers, entrepreneurs, engineers, scientists, government officials, from developing countries, invaluable insights into comprehending and successfully managing intellectual property rights and bilateral agreements. This training aims to empower the participants in establishing their innovative and creative base, and equip them with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the complexities of legal and economic principles, protection systems, regulatory frameworks, and benefits involved in intellectual property and bilateral agreements. Giovanni Zazzerini, Secretary General of INSME, was invited to hold a keynote speech on the important topic of the impact of IP on SMEs and their lack of awareness on the essential protection and tools these small businesses risk missing out on. IPRs are crucial for SMEs, these benefits are related to protection of their ideas but also to the reputation an SME can have as a technology leader through access to, or ownership of key patented technologies. However, this isn’t free from challenges such as lack of necessary skills, high costs and possible long timelines for evaluation and implementation of IP rights.
Prof Zazzerini also tackled some possible policy recommendations to help SMEs in their intellectual property journey, such as awareness raising activities through learning opportunities and digital tools, the improvement of IP literacy in the small business workforce, making the world of IP appear less complex to workers, creating application fast tracks and accelerating the granting process, improving litigation and enforcement mechanisms and finally the importance of making IP a better tradable good and facilitate the use of IP as collateral.
COMSATS, an INSME member, held workshops on IP training in Islamabad on December 19-20 in collaboration with the national Intellectual Property Organization (IPO). The event gave early-career researchers, entrepreneurs, engineers, scientists, government officials, from developing countries, invaluable insights into comprehending and successfully managing intellectual property rights and bilateral agreements. This training aims to empower the participants in establishing their innovative and creative base, and equip them with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the complexities of legal and economic principles, protection systems, regulatory frameworks, and benefits involved in intellectual property and bilateral agreements. Giovanni Zazzerini, Secretary General of INSME, was invited to hold a keynote speech on the important topic of the impact of IP on SMEs and their lack of awareness on the essential protection and tools these small businesses risk missing out on. IPRs are crucial for SMEs, these benefits are related to protection of their ideas but also to the reputation an SME can have as a technology leader through access to, or ownership of key patented technologies. However, this isn’t free from challenges such as lack of necessary skills, high costs and possible long timelines for evaluation and implementation of IP rights.
Prof Zazzerini also tackled some possible policy recommendations to help SMEs in their intellectual property journey, such as awareness raising activities through learning opportunities and digital tools, the improvement of IP literacy in the small business workforce, making the world of IP appear less complex to workers, creating application fast tracks and accelerating the granting process, improving litigation and enforcement mechanisms and finally the importance of making IP a better tradable good and facilitate the use of IP as collateral.
Source: INSME Secretariat
