Bandung Enterprises Geared Up in Creating Value from Intangible Assets

Based on the successful outcome of the first Strategic Intellectual Property Advice (SIPA) Program of June 24-25 in Jakarta, a second program was jointly carried out in support of local enterprises in Bandung by the WIPO Singapore Office (WSO) and the IP for Business Division, WIPO, during August 21-22, 2024.  This program was held with the valuable assistance from the Japan Patent Office.  Its implementation was further benefitting from the close collaboration various key stakeholders.  Among these were the  Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP), Ministry of Law and Human Rights; the Department of Industry, Trade, Cooperatives and SMEs of the Jakarta Provincial Government (Jakarta Entrepreneurs); the Department of Cooperative, Bandung Municipal Government; the Department of Tourism and Culture, Bandung Municipal Government; the Indonesian Business Women Association (IWAPI) Regional Representative Council of West Java; Koperasi Bumi; and the Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the West Java Province.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), accounting for the bulk of employment (some 97.2%)^[1] in Indonesia, are thus a critical venue for job creation and poverty alleviation. However, SMEs are typically facing severe challenges as regards access to capital and technology, cash flow management, and intensified competition and customer acquisition under the digital economy.  In these contexts, IP serves as a critical lever and legal protection for a company’s new ideas, product and process innovations, creative expressions and other intangible assets throughout their respective business life cycles.

Against that backdrop, the SIPA initiative seeks to empower and strengthen SMEs/startups’ knowledge and understanding of IP through the intensive provision of complimentary IP-related advice and informed suggestions on enhancing their respective IP portfolios and navigation strategies for business advantage and growth in both the local and external markets.  This second in-person workshop brought together 85 Bandung enterprises from a wide range of industries such as food and beverages, fashion, beauty, crafts, and technology. For most participants, this was the first time they heard and learned in concrete and operational detail about the major benefits of IP and better IP leverage.  Other participants, who were already more advanced in their IP journey, sought advice on ways to further harness IP for business expansion and increase brand awareness in home and overseas markets.

Opening and welcoming remarks were delivered by Mr. Masjuno, Head of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the West Java Province; Ms. Thitapha Wattanapruttipaisan, Director, WSO; and Mr. Yasmon, Director of Cooperation and Education, Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP), Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Indonesia.

They urged businesses to seek out ways and means to realize and maximize the value of their IP assets not just internally—for its own processes or provision of goods and services to customers—but also by sharing it externally, generating additional revenues and new investment as well as other commercialization opportunities.

Throughout the orientation workshop and advisory sessions, the participating companies were supported by a pool of local IP and business experts from K&K Advocates, led by Ms. Risti Wulansari. WIPO, together with the experts, provided an overview of the program and the IP landscape in Indonesia. Participants were also encouraged and guided to use the WIPO IP Diagnostic Tool and other SME-support resources.  This was followed by focused and interactive group sessions, where the companies received targeted advice and were also guided by the team of experts on tailored strategies and specific approaches, risk mitigation, and other IP-related aspects and considerations to complement their individual business visions and goals.

In the coming months, consultations with the IP experts will be continued through online advisory sessions to provide further guidance to participants in their respective IP journeys and to dive deeper into their specific business and IP needs identified during the workshop.  With strong interest from entrepreneurs, more activities will be implemented in supporting them in their respective IP journeys from now and well into the future.