IP Advantage Case Study Workshop at Kobe University

June 21, 2018

On June 20, 2018, the WIPO Japan Office (WJO) held an IP Advantage workshop at Kobe University, Kobe on IP Advantage case studies featuring Japanese start-ups.

The workshop started with opening remarks made by Dr. Yuka Kaneko, Professor of the Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies (GSICS) of Kobe University, and Ms. Rebecca Ferderer, Associate Research Officer at the WJO. Opening remarks were followed by a presentation by Ms. Yukie Matsui, Intern at the WJO, on WIPO and WIPO services, including the specific activities undertaken by the WJO.

To ensure a fruitful discussion in the afternoon, Mr. Aruan Monastier, an IP attorney in Brazil and researcher at Nagoya University gave an introductory lecture on intellectual property (IP) and related international treaties.

Case study analysis

In the afternoon, participants were divided into groups and provided case studies on IP based on different start-up businesses in Japan. Participants were encouraged to discuss their individual cases and give an analysis on the IP strategies of each company. The groups then prepared presentations for each case study, including the advantages as well as the challenges of IP in practice.

Global participation

Participants included graduate students from Laos, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, China, Myanmar, Ghana, as well as Japan who specialize mainly in the fields of law and international cooperation. Most of the international participants have experience working as government officials dealing with trade, investment and judicial affairs. One Japanese participant has experience working and filing patents for a major Japanese corporation, and is currently teaching at the department of electronics of a local high school.

Find out more

If your university or organization is interested in holding a case study workshop, please contact our office.