LESI and WIPO Sign Updated MOU to Support Education and Assistance on IP Commercialization

Signing Ceremony Video
LESI and WIPO MOU

On March 26, 2021, LESI and the World Intellectual Property Organization signed an update agreement on providing education and assistance to innovators and high-growth companies related to IP commercialization. These activities are core to the work that LES Societies around the globe engage in – through its 33 societies in 90 countries.  WIPO and LESI previously executed an agreement in March 2010.  WIPO Director General Tang’s particular focus on IP commercialization, financing and valuation and other areas aimed makes this update between our organizations at this time particularly important.

We believe that Director General Tang’s particular focus on IP commercialization, financing and valuation and other areas aimed makes this update between our organizations at this time particularly important.  Partnerships with industry and among international organizations are critical to effectively enable IP rights holders to leverage their intellectual property and to navigate the relevant systems and considerations needed to bring alive the use of IP as a creator of jobs, a driver of enterprise growth, and a developer of global economies.

Though this partnership, LESI hopes to work with WIPO to focus on three particular areas:

• First, LESI and WIPO will seek to facilitate discussions related to IP policy and emerging issues, and in particular changes in the use of IP to protect, fund and advance innovation as result of disruptive technologies and the convergence of certain technologies in various industries. LESI continues to highlight the impact of COVID-19 response efforts on accelerating innovation in specific areas and the potential benefit of IP-driven innovation to global economic recovery. This may be an area where LESI and WIPO are well positioned to lead discussions on the value and effective use of IP and an enabler.
• Second, LESI hope to continue to work with WIPO to build strong local IP ecosystems.  As entities with a global reach, both organizations have effectively convened local players with international IP experts to identify resources available to local innovators, share best practices and identify common barriers to commercializing IP which could be addressed.  We hope to continue these types of activities which can have a significant and positive impact on IP ecosystems that support innovators locally.  Such efforts may also include direct assistance or mentoring where feasible.
• And third, LESI seeks to collaborate with WIPO to build upon and promote training programs to develop a network of certified licensing professionals, with a  focus particularly in the emerging and developing countries where access to such training may currently be limited.

WIPO Participants:

• Mr. Daren Tang, Director General
• Mr. Edward Kwakwa, Assistant Director General, Global Challenges and Partnerships Sector
• Mr. Marco Aleman, Assistant Director General, IP and Innovation Ecosystem Sector
• Mrs. Dalila Hamou, Director, External Relations Division
• Mr. Guy Pessach, Director, IP for Business Division
• Ms. Samar Shamoon, Director, News and Media Division
• Chris Ruggerio, Senior Legal Officer, NGO and Industry Relations Section

LESI Participants:

• Ms. Audrey Yap, LESI President
• Mr. John Paul, LESI President-Elect (to assume office in May 2021)
• Mr. Mattia Dalla Costa, LESI Counsel to the Board of Director & President LES Italy
• Mr. Arnaud Michel, Co-Chair LESI External Relation
• Mr. Dana Robert Colarulli, LESI Executive Director