WIPO National Awards

WIPO's National Awards acknowledge innovators and creators recognized by governmental institutions and other institutions in member states.
The WIPO National Awards categories are for: inventors, creativity, enterprises, schoolchildren and users of WIPO services. The WIPO National Awards were formerly called National Medal Awards.

WIPO National Awards categories

WIPO National Award for Inventors

The WIPO National Award for Inventors was launched in 1979 to stimulate inventive and innovative activity around the world and to recognize the contribution of inventors to national wealth and development.

The WIPO National Award for Inventors is offered by national organizations to outstanding inventors. Particular attention is given to those who have made inventions which are considered to be significant contributions to the economic and technological development of their countries. Candidates for the WIPO National Award for Inventors must have obtained or applied for a patent or utility model for their innovation.

WIPO National Awards are offered in the context of international exhibitions or competitions at the highest national level (such as the International Exhibition of Inventions, Geneva, or the Seoul International Invention Fair).
The selection procedure is the responsibility of the organizers, within the framework of the guidelines provided by WIPO.

WIPO National Award for Creativity

The WIPO National Award for Creativity recognizes outstanding authors, designers, performers and producers, including the creators of software.

The WIPO National Award for Creativity is offered to those individuals who have made a substantial contribution to cultural, social and economic development in the field of copyright and related rights. It recognizes those whose artistry and imagination have resulted in works, designs (including textile designs), performances or productions that have had outstanding impact or whose activities have fostered greater respect for the creative output of those working in the cultural, entertainment and software sectors.

The WIPO National Award for Creativity may be given in the context of a national award scheme in the field of cultural and artistic achievement, software development, multimedia or the like. The selection criteria may include the candidates’ cultural or economic contribution, the level of public interest that they have inspired and their potential to act as role models for others.
The selection procedure is the responsibility of the organizers, within the framework of the guidelines provided by WIPO.

WIPO National Award for Enterprises

The objective of the WIPO National Award for Enterprises is to encourage businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises, and institutions to make imaginative use of the IP system in their business activities.
Candidates eligible for the WIPO National Award for Enterprises are those that make outstanding use of the IP system by, for example:
  • Exploiting IP information in support of innovative commercial strategies;
  • Executing an innovative marketing strategy based on an effective trademark;
  • Developing successful strategies for the commercialization of university-based innovation;
  • Developing public campaigns to promote appreciation of their IP assets;
  • Encouraging creative and inventive activity among staff;
  • Creating corporate social responsibility programs to use the benefits of successful IP-based business for public goals.
The WIPO National Awards for Enterprises can be given on the occasion of exhibitions (industrial, technological or commercial) or conferences of national or international importance. The aim is to publicize the role of IP rights as important business assets, to encourage enterprises to make creative use of the IP system and to recognize acts of good citizenship by IP-based businesses.
The selection procedure is the responsibility of the organizers, within the framework of the guidelines provided by WIPO.

WIPO National Award for WIPO Users

The WIPO National Award for WIPO Users is awarded to users of WIPO’s IP services. The National Award recognizes the early adoption or innovative use of these services.

These services include the PCT System (patents), the Madrid System (trademarks), the Hague System (designs) and the Lisbon System (appellations of origin), together with the services of the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center.

The WIPO National Award for WIPO Users is awarded at the discretion of WIPO.

WIPO National Award for Schoolchildren

The WIPO National Award for Schoolchildren is awarded to children in primary or secondary education who have achieved distinction in a field of school activity related to the IP system. It gives recognition to outstanding efforts in the field of innovation and creativity.
WIPO National Awards have been given to schoolchildren for achievement in invention, design, film-making and creative writing, including the composition of essays on IP.
The selection procedure is the responsibility of the organizers, within the framework of the guidelines provided by WIPO.

WIPO National Awards Guidelines

  1. WIPO will consider the giving of WIPO National Awards on the basis of a request submitted through the national intellectual property office on behalf of any public or private body located in a WIPO member state. The request should be submitted to WIPO at least three months in advance of the event.
  2. The WIPO National Awards categories are: the WIPO National Award for Inventors, the WIPO National Award for Creativity, the WIPO National Award for Enterprises, the WIPO National Award for Schoolchildren and the WIPO National Award for WIPO Users.
  3. WIPO will approve the giving of WIPO National Awards at up to two ceremonies in any WIPO member state in any calendar year. One Award may be offered in each category on the same occasion.
  4. The organization of competitions for the WIPO National Awards (other than the WIPO National Award for WIPO Users) will be under the responsibility of one or more national organizations or institutions (referred to in these Guidelines as “the organizers”), such as relevant ministries, national intellectual property offices, cultural institutions, industry associations, practitioner bodies and collective management organizations, as appropriate to the nature of the WIPO Award in question.
  5. Within one month after the awards ceremony (if not done before), the organizers will submit to WIPO a written statement as to the identities of those to whom WIPO National Awards have been awarded and the grounds for their nomination.
  6. The WIPO National Award for Inventors, the WIPO National Award for Creativity and the WIPO National Award for Schoolchildren are open to individuals and teams of individuals.
  7. The WIPO National Award for Enterprises and the WIPO National Award for WIPO Users are open to individuals, teams of individuals, business corporations and individual departments of academic or research institutions.
  8. Anyone nominated for the WIPO Award for Inventors should have obtained (or have made a pending application for) a patent or utility model.
  9. Each Award consists of a certificate signed by the Director General of WIPO.
  10. Where a group of individuals is selected for an award, a single Award will be given jointly. Each member of the group will receive a certificate.
  11. The decision to confer an Award (other than the WIPO National Award for WIPO Users) shall be made by an independent panel (which may include representatives of the national intellectual property office), in accordance with clearly established criteria. If requested, WIPO will advise as to the suitability of the procedure and selection criteria, which shall remain the responsibility of the organizers. The WIPO National Award for WIPO Users is awarded in the discretion of WIPO on the proposal of the organizers.
  12. The organizers shall take care that the subject-matter of any Award does not offend any political, cultural or religious sensitivity. WIPO reserves the right to decline to make an Award in individual cases.
  13. The WIPO National Awards are to be bestowed at the highest level of national award. The organizers will make arrangements for an appropriate ceremony for the announcement of the WIPO National Awards. Substantial publicity should be sought for the event.
  14. These guidelines will be interpreted with a view to preserving the prestige and distinctiveness of the WIPO National Awards.