FIT-Korea: Funds at Work

IP Basics for Start-ups and SMEs

For busy entrepreneurs and business professionals on the go, the Republic of Korea Funds-in-Trust for IP Education (FIT-KREDU) and the WIPO Academy have developed bite-sized video lessons about the basics of intellectual property (IP) for start-ups and scale-ups.

The engaging lessons focus on practical take-aways and lessons learned from the experiences of entrepreneurs from start-ups and scale-ups.

Brand for Bangladesh RANGPUR Shararanji Carpet

Learn how IP can help start-ups and scale-ups achieve business success

Video: Module 1: Intellectual property for start-ups: Fundmentals

Video: Module 2: Intellectual property for start-ups: Insights from Entrepreneurs

Video: Module 3: IP basics for scale-ups: Fundamentals

Video: Module 4: Scale-ups: Insights from entrepreneurs

Pororo animation videos on intellectual property (IP)

There is a 3D animated character ‘Pororo’ from the famous television program “Pororo the Little Penguin.” ‘Pororo’ is so popular among children that he is even called the ‘President of Children.’ Pororo TV program has aired in 82 different countries, in various languages, inspiring children with hopes and dreams all over the world.

WIPO has produced five educational episodes of Pororo in collaboration with the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) and the Korea Invention Promotion Association (KIPA) and funded by FIT/Korea IP. These episodes give children a basic understanding of intellectual property rights, teach them to respect the ideas of others, and show them ways of coming up with their own ideas.

Throughout the series, Pororo and his friends embark on exciting challenges to invent a new sled while learning practical lessons along the way. Children will learn about the invention process, design, trademarks, and many other concepts relevant to Intellectual Property (IP).

These Pororo episodes were produced in 9 different languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Thai. These animations were made accessible via the WIPO Youtube channel, and the first episode’s views in English exceed 8 million.

ANIMATIONS

Workbook and guidebook for ‘Pororo’ animation videos: “Getting Creative with Pororo”

Regarding the ‘Pororo’ IP animation videos (Link to “Pororo IP Animation Videos” page), educational books were created for the first three episodes to provide students with an opportunity to explore the concepts presented in each video episode through creativity-enhancing activities. These books are a collection of hands-on exercises specifically designed to stimulate a child’s innate creative and intuitive capacities.

The books include textbooks, guidebooks, and invention notes.

Pororo workbook

The Pororo Workbook is the children’s textbook for the first three episodes of Pororo animations. It consists of a textbook, a sticker book, and a paper popup kit for each episode. The students can learn through crafting materials and practical exercises.

Pororo guidebook

The Pororo Guidebook serves as an instructive reference for educators, detailing methods on how to effectively use the first three episodes as teaching tools for children.

Invention note

The Invention Note, also known as an Idea Note, is a method designed to enable individuals, particularly children, to document and develop their own inventions. It allows them to capture their innovative thoughts using both text and illustrations, thereby fostering creativity and interest in their own idea-generation process.

The books are published in 5 different languages

English:

Textbook: episode 1, episode 2, episode 3
Sticker, Popup kit
Guidebook
Invention Note

WIPO, in collaboration with the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) and the Korea Invention Promotion Association (KIPA) funded by FIT/Korea IP, has created these books.

National Invention and Creativity Education (NICE) Program

The National Invention and Creativity Education (NICE) Program was established by the Republic of Korea Funds-in-Trust for IP Education (FIT-KREDU) and the WIPO Academy to provide a holistic approach for advancing national IP education capacity in developing countries, least-developed countries and countries in transition.

The NICE Program targets teachers and students to build intellectual property (IP) literacy in schools by placing an emphasis on invention, innovation and creativity education. The Program also engages government officials involved in curricula setting and IP, and educators to promote awareness of invention and IP, as well as development of problem-solving abilities, among teachers and students.

How does the program work?

Based on the experience of invention and creativity education in Korea, the NICE Program is delivered in collaboration with participating countries wishing to introduce invention and IP education, KIPO, KIPA, and other invention and creativity related institutions or schools through a series of training phases culminating in mentorship. The program features:

An in-person training course for teachers and policymakers in Korea;
An in-person training of teachers workshop in the participating country;
Support for the development of a business plan to implement education on invention and IP for students at elementary and secondary schools;
Holding invention competitions;
Mentorship with the advisory experts from the Republic of Korea; and
Support for a national roving seminar to raise awareness of students and teachers on invention and IP.

With the support of FIT-KREDU, the WIPO Academy will implement activities to assist participating countries in enhancing the capacity of IP education at the national level for sustainable development.

Brand for Bangladesh RANGPUR Shararanji Carpet

Appropriate Technology Competition

The Appropriate Technology (AT) Competition, hosted by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), invites innovators to design sustainable, affordable, and accessible technological solutions to uplift the quality of life in developing countries. The competition emphasizes the creative use of patent information to address pressing issues faced by local communities. The competition rewards deserving winners with suitable recognition and incentives.

AT competition, Dominican Republic, 2022 (photos: WIPO).

The competition fosters creativity and innovative thinking in problem-solving and offers a platform for skill and knowledge development in technology, engineering, and entrepreneurship. With a diverse pool of participants, the competition promotes collaboration and cross-sectoral partnerships.

WIPO's partnership with national Intellectual Property (IP) offices and the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), funded by FIT/Korea IP, makes these competitions possible. In 2009, KIPO proposed the idea of "utilizing patent information in the transfer of AT" at the 3^rd session of the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property, leading to the organization of AT Competitions under the FIT/Korea IP with the theme "innovative solutions for everyday life.”

Since its inception in September 2011, the AT Competition has been hosted in numerous countries, fostering innovation and providing appropriate technological solutions for communities worldwide.

[PDF]

AT competition video

Branding projects

FIT/Korea IP supports branding projects that aim to provide technical assistance both at the institutional and grassroots levels to support brand development, management, and innovation for SMEs. The goal is to enable SMEs to seize economic opportunities and enhance their market value by utilizing intellectual property (IP) tools within their respective industries.

The project comprises two key components.

The first component focuses on empowering entrepreneurs to leverage branding effectively, thereby expanding their domestic and export potential, gaining a competitive advantage, and scaling up their businesses. Specifically, the project will develop brand strategies and assets for selected businesses, demonstrating the tangible benefits of IP for local products and services.

The second component aims to ensure sustainable impact beyond the project timeline by building capacity and enhancing the competency of institutional stakeholders. This will enable them to effectively support and continue local efforts in promoting branding and innovation within the SME community. Activities under this component include establishing business support units and collaborating with academic institutions to cultivate a pool of professionals who are well-versed in IP matters and capable of serving the industrial sector.

The implementation of the branding projects has involved:

Development of brands and designs in several countries.

Iran (2020): The brand and design for carpets of Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation (IKRF) were created. Since the brand (Ehsan) for IKRF was very successful, IKRF decided to expand it to other products. A Certification Mark for Iran National Carpet Center (INCC) was also developed.
Bangladesh (2022): The brand and design for RANGPUR Shataranji Carpet were produced.
Niue (2022-2023): The brand was produced for Ocean Conservation Credit (OCC), and the Niue & Ocean Wide Trust (NOW Trust) which are projects for sustainable management and development of the ocean and related resources.

Capacity-building activities have been carried out in Lao PDR, Cambodia, and Bhutan.

To enhance public awareness regarding various aspects of intellectual property (IP) and its impact on everyday life in Indonesia, a series of four audio-visual episodes was produced with the title of "HAKITA Project."