Griffith Hack Managing Director, Aaron Le Poidevin recently attended the 2024 International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI) World Congress held in China. He provides his insights on the Congress.
Attending the 2024 AIPPI World Congress in China was an energising experience. It underscored how much intellectual property (IP) impacts our lives and the possibilities it unlocks for a brighter future.
With China hosting the Congress for the first time, the event highlighted the country’s growing role in global innovation. China now represents a quarter of all international patent applications.
IP: Creating opportunity and growth
The Congress featured many insightful discussions, particularly from leaders like Antonio Campinos, President of the European Patent Office (EPO), and Lisa Jorgenson, Deputy Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
Here are some insights that stood out to me about how IP drives progress and what the future might hold.
- IP drives growth and jobs: IP isn’t just about protecting ideas—it’s key to unlocking jobs, boosting economies, and creating tangible societal benefits. Ideas are more likely to thrive and grow when protected, leading to exciting new technologies and opportunities.
- Beyond IP experts: Jorgenson highlighted the importance of IP not just being the realm of IP experts, but engaging a wider audience given its impact. This resonated strongly with me, having come to IP after a career in consulting and technology, and not being a patent attorney.
- IP access: When IP protections extend to small businesses, startups, and universities which are currently underrepresented, it creates space for even more innovation. Jorgenson emphasised how expanding IP access can fuel growth and bring fresh opportunities to more people.
- From ideas to impact: IP helps transform research and inventions into everyday solutions that make a difference. Campinos highlighted how IP supports practical solutions to big issues, from sustainability to healthcare, helping ideas reach those who can benefit from them.
- Sustainable future: One of the most hopeful themes was IP’s potential to support sustainability. Innovation isn’t just about new gadgets—it’s about solving global challenges like clean energy, and sustainable living.
Conclusion
Attending the AIPPI World Congress was a reminder of IP’s critical role in incentivising innovation and building a better world.
The main takeaways of this experience were:
- IP drives growth: IP is key to unlocking jobs, boosting economic growth, supporting society and having a sustainable future.
- Beyond the realm of IP experts: It’s important to engage a wider audience in discussions about IP. This will help with the diffusion of innovation.
- IP’s growing impact: Despite a short term dip in R&D spend and venture funding, the decades of growth in IP looks set to continue with the accelerating rate of technological development.
