Ateneo celebrates Intellectual Property (IP) Week 2024

Ateneo, through the Ateneo Intellectual Property Office (AIPO), successfully held its annual Intellectual Property (IP) Week from 22 to 26 April 2024. Aligning with the World Intellectual Property Organization's (WIPO) World IP Day theme “IP and SDGs: Building our common future with innovation and creativity," this year’s IP Week aims to explore the intersection of intellectual property (IP) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emphasizing the pivotal role of innovation and creativity. 

This year's IP Week provided an engaging platform to underscore the significance of intellectual property rights within the context of the SDGs, highlighting the role of innovation and creativity. These IP Week activities highlighted the contributions of individuals like Juan and Juana de la Cruz to the realm of IP, as well as immersive design thinking workshops showcasing how IP drives innovation and creativity. Additionally, a forum on collaborative research and technology licensing, as well as panel discussions covering various aspects of intellectual property, such as copyrights, trademarks, patents, and the intersection between AI and IP, were also discussed.

The IP Week celebration was composed of the following online and onsite activities:

• April 22: IP, SDGs & the Filipino: The Role of Juan and Juana de la Cruz

• April 23: Innovate for Impact: Design Thinking for SDG Solutions

• April 24 (Morning): IP & SDG: Partnership with Goals “Collaborative Research”

• April 24 (Afternoon): IP & SDG: Partnership with Goals “Technology Licensing”

• April 25: IP Forward>>Maximizing the Impact of IP on SDGs 

• April 26: Innovate & Protect: Navigating the Intersection of AI and IP

The first event held on 22 April 2024 “IP, SDGs & the Filipino: The Role of Juan and Juana de la Cruz” was presented by Atty Aileen V Sicat, a faculty and IP expert from the Ateneo. The webinar was attended by 141 participants, mostly students, researchers, faculty and entrepreneurs. The webinar highlighted the pivotal role of every individual in upholding intellectual property rights and elucidated its correlation to the SDGs.

The second event was an onsite workshop held on 23 April titled “Innovate for Impact: Design Thinking for SDG Solutions,” presented by Ms Mariela Alcaparas, Program Development Officer of AIPO and Mr Steve Chaves, Head of the Ideation Support of AIPO. The event was attended by 44 onsite participants from Ateneo and other external universities and aimed to bridge the innovation gap between researchers and industry using design thinking methodology.

On 24 April, two (2) sessions were held, both dedicated to exploring partnerships aimed at advancing the SDGs. The morning session is an onsite event titled “IP & SDG: Partnership with Goals - Collaborative Research,” focusing on best practices and establishing a framework for research collaborations. The forum was attended by 20 participants, mostly Ateneo students and researchers, who gained valuable insight into collaborative research. The afternoon session titled “IP & SDG: Partnership with Goals - Technology Licensing,"  focused on technology licensing and was attended by 120 online participants. Both sessions were facilitated by Mr Bryan Erfe, Business Development Officer of AIPO.

The 4th event was a session on “IP Forward>>Maximizing the Impact of Sustainable Development Goals,” in collaboration with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) through its IP Academy. A general briefer on the IPOPHL and the IP System was presented by Dr Frederick P Romero, OIC-Director of the IP Academy. After the discussion, a panel session was held and moderated by Engr Kevin Facun, Senior Specialist from IP Academy. 

The guest panelists included Engr Mark Kennedy Bantugon, the CEO and innovator behind the patented invention PILI SEAL; Mr Roland Benzon, CEO of Wika; Mr Jeremy De Leon, CEO of Make-roscope; and Dr Anneth Singh, President of Santarra Natural Products, Inc. It's worth mentioning that all of them are present and previous incubatees of the Ateneo Blue Nest under AIPO. The event attracted 90 participants from the Ateneo community and various institutions. The session explored various aspects of IP and its crucial role in advancing the SDGs. Specifically, it emphasized the significance of the IP system in the Philippines, IPOPHL mandates, a primer on different IP types, protection, practical strategies for safeguarding creations, and valuable resources for navigating the IP landscape. Their insights were invaluable in enriching the discussion and providing valuable takeaways for all attendees.

The fifth and last event for IP Week was held on 26 April 2024, and is entitled “Innovate & Protect: Navigating the Intersection of AI and IP." The talk was conducted by Atty Darwin P Angeles, a partner from the Molo Sia Dy Tuazon and Coloma Law Office. The event was attended by 120 participants from the Ateneo community and other organizations and institutions. The discussion focused on the latest developments and best practices in the areas of intellectual property and artificial intelligence and how AI is changing the IP landscape.

Overall, IP Week 2024 was a huge success, with a significant number of participants from both inside and outside the Ateneo community. The weeklong series of events provided a wide range of discussions and presentations on the vital role of every Filipino in IP, how intellectual property drives innovation and creativity, the significance of partnerships forged through collaborative research and technology transfer, the optimization of IP for SDGs, and the convergence of AI and IP. 

Furthermore, AIPO and the IP Academy hope to collaborate more to promote IP awareness and continue to encourage and educate the next generation of innovators and creators.

To explore more IP-related events like these, you may visit www.aipo.ateneo.edu or email us at aipo@ateneo.edu. You may also check out our Facebook and LinkedIn pages for the latest updates and announcements.