World Intellectual Property Organization
WIPO is the UN agency devoted to intellectual property (IP), with headquarters in Geneva. It is home to several IP treaties and also hosts several resources for policymakers, businesses, and other interested parties. A summary of these resources is provided below.
WIPO IP Diagnostic
WIPO provides an online IP self-assessment tool, which was launched in November 2021. The tool includes a questionnaire on several IP-related issues that may affect your business and generates a report upon the questionnaire’s completion. The tool is accessible online on the WIPO website.
WIPO’s IP for Business Series of Guides
WIPO also has several guides that outline how intellectual property issues can be dealt with by companies. The full series of guides can be accessed on the WIPO website, and a brief list of the key ones for MSMEs can be found below.
- Enterprising Ideas, A Guide to Intellectual Property for Startups (2021)
- Looking Good – An Introduction to Industrial Designs for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (updated and revised 2019).
- In Good Company: Managing Intellectual Property Issues in Franchising (revised 2019)
- Inventing the Future: An Introduction to Patents for Small and Medium sized Enterprises (updated and revised 2018)
- Making a Mark: An Introduction to Trademarks for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (updated and revised 2017)
- Creative Expression: An Introduction to Copyright and Related Rights for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (2006 – currently being revised)
There are also several other guides in development, which should be available on the WIPO website in due course.
SME Support Institutions Platform (SSIP)
WIPO has a directory of institutions that can help unlock the value of intellectual property SME Support Institutions Platform (SSIP).
IP Office Business Solutions
WIPO also provides support for national IP offices as they develop their own services for domestic users. Further information on the support available is on the WIPO website.
