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WIPO’s Seminar and One Day IP Workshop address business leaders and startup funders in Monaco

May 31, 2024

WIPO's IP for Business Division (IPBD), IP Innovation Ecosystems Sector (IIES) and the Section for Coordination of Developed Countries (SCDC), Division for Transition and Developed Countries (TDC), Regional and National Development Sector (RNDS), organized a seminar and one day IP workshop in Monaco on April 18, 2024, with the collaboration of Monaco Industrial Property Office (MCIPO), Monaco Economic Board, MonacoTech and MonacoBoost aiming to enhance the IP landscape for startups. The event is the continuation of a collaboration between WIPO and MCIPO, that featured presentations emphasizing IP's role in fostering entrepreneurial ventures.

During the event, a pilot group of startups received personalized guidance on the situation of their companies in the space of IP, eliciting gratitude from founders for the invaluable support.

In a bid to bolster the intellectual property (IP) landscape for startups, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) IP for Business Division (IPBD) and the Section for Coordination of Developed Countries (SCDC), Division for Transition and Developed Countries (TDC), organized a seminar and one day IP workshop in Monaco on April 18, 2024. The event aimed to underscore the critical role of IP in fostering entrepreneurial ventures and provided invaluable insights to Monaco's economic players.

The seminar showcased WIPO's array of services tailored to support startups. Notable attendees included Monaco’s External Relations and International Cooperation Department; the Monaco Industrial Property Office (MCIPO); and local startup incubator/accelerator MonacoTech.

A highlight of the event was the participation of a pilot group of six pre-selected startups, who received personalized guidance from IP experts. Each startup was paired with a team of IP specialists for a focused 30-minute discussion on developing effective IP strategies, leveraging WIPO's IP Diagnostic Tool reports.

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So we have been thought this day with WIPO to meet all the professionals that handle all the IP which is usually underestimated in young startups because of the cost, and time. IP is not only an asset for our future but also for our present to interest more clients and investors, so I truly appreciate their intervention today and I am looking forward to work with them.

Valentino Iakimov, Managing Partner Sea further
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I found the pre-diagnosis very useful, as I'm not at all from the business or start-up community, arriving with very little knowledge, it enabled me to tell my story, so that experts could analyze it and direct me towards the items that specifically concerned me. What I liked about the tool is that you can print it out or keep it digitally. I was able to print it out, read it and extract all the knowledge I needed, some of which concerned me much more than others, but it gave me a very precise vision of protection and what I needed to do to move forward with my company.

Angeline Pena Prado
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It went very well. What we remember is that it's the stakes of our contracts that are important. In our field, as we're particularly involved in technology and have a lot of natural protection, it's a good thing for us to be protected from the outset simply by copyright. We have clauses that will be applied by our partners and to our customers, and that's really where the stakes lie, beyond the brand and image aspect. That's where it's interesting to say that our contracts can handle the whole IP side of things... and even if tomorrow we decide to outsource a certain part of our work, we can manage all that with our contracts, which is good news.

The reports helped me a lot to ask questions. Depending on the answers, I was able to see where I could improve and where I needed to work or dig deeper to see if I should continue along this path or change for a more serene future development.

Louis L’Herrou, Co-Founder ALTORES
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(Image: WIPO)

I'd like to thank WIPO for their support and this day, which was very rich and instructive, enabling us to protect ourselves in the development of our startup.

I'd like to thank you for the documents you sent us after our meeting, which helped me understand the ins and outs of protection and the different ways of it. The preparation beforehand enabled me to get ready for today's meeting and ask precise questions in relation to our needs.

Omar Bouhelal Schirmer, Founder, Spheno Id
It was a very positive experience. At the beginning, to learn about the IP tool and the diagnostics, I found that the questions gave me a very global, interesting and pragmatic view. Then to see the results directly and the level of questioning the companies we met were asking, it was interesting. It was a higher level than what I've come across for people who were asking questions and hadn't had these reports before. The whole experience is coherent and very positive.Nathalie Fayette, IP Councel, Founder and Manager, Mark and Law

I wanted to say that it was indeed a fantastic day, I enjoyed it immensely, I liked the dynamic and I think we should repeat the experience as soon as possible.

Jean Pierre Santos, Head, Monaco IP Office
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The day went very well, and the various startups were able to tell us about their projects and the IP difficulties they were encountering. We tried to respond as best as we could by considering the different types of protection available.

As far as I'm concerned, everything went very well, I had a great day, I was able to talk to the different startups as well as the monarchy's economic players. My only regret is that we've waited more than 20 years to get together.

Pierre Cornillet, Legal administrator, Monaco IP Office

The WIPO Seminar and IP Day served as a testament to the power of collaboration in empowering startups and propelling innovation forward in the Principality of Monaco.

Discover why intellectual property is vital for your business by exploring WIPO's website. Stay updated on WIPO's resources and events, designed to empower startups with expert guidance on IP strategies and connect with WIPO to safeguard your innovations and drive your business forward.