BIP Asia: Making IP investing accessible and easy in ASEAN

ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) chair Rowel S. Barba boasted of numerous breakthroughs that support business needs, including the development of unified IP platforms and databases, at the 12th Business of IP Asia Forum held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on December 1, 2022.

"Our ASEAN Patent Examination Cooperation (or ASPEC), for example, is a patent work-sharing programme among ASEAN IP Offices that reduces duplication; shares search and examination results; and produces quality reports useful for inventors and investors alike," he said in his speech.

The AWGIPC enabled the ASEAN IP Portal, a portal that compiles data on ASEAN IP systems and comparative IP-related statistics, he continued. The site also provides a unique route for all ASEAN IP markets, allowing IP rights holders to list their IPs for sale or licencing and investors to quickly find their next innovation investment. Furthermore, the AWGIPC has created a number of databases that are critical for obtaining data on trademarks, patents, designs, and geographical indications.

Barba emphasised inclusive efforts in light of ASEAN's recovery momentum. "We all know that MSMEs, as well as under-resourced inventors and artists, were among the sectors hardest hit by the pandemic," he said. "They are also the most vulnerable to its economic ramifications. With this in mind, the AWGIPC is working to establish an IP rights helpdesk for MSMEs to fill knowledge gaps about the ASEAN IP landscape and processes. We hope to reach out to more MSMEs in the coming months through our ASEAN IP Academy and the unwavering support of our international partners, such as the World Intellectual Property Organization."