The WIPO and EAPO Regional Meeting on Technoparks concluded in Astana: A new stage of international cooperation in the field of intellectual property

The Regional Meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Eurasian Patent Organization (EAPO) was held in Astana on December 5-6, 2024, bringing together international experts, representatives of academic institutions and technoparks to discuss intellectual property (IP) marketing and strategic partnerships between technoparks, academic institutions.

The event became a unique platform for interaction between countries in the Eurasian region and beyond, providing participants with the opportunity to discuss key challenges and opportunities in IP commercialization.

The meeting was organized by WIPO, EAPO, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Qazpatent.    

The representative of the Eurasian Patent Office read out the address greeting of the President of the Eurasian Patent Office Grigory Ivliev.

The participants of the regional meeting were also greeted by:

• Sholpan Abdreyeva, Chairman of the Committee on Intellectual Property Rights of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
• Ilya Gribkov, Head, Section for Caucasian, Central Asian and Eastern European Countries, Division for Transition and Developed Countries (TDC), Regional and National Development Sector, WIPO.

Over 50 representatives from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, China, France, Switzerland, as well as representatives of the Eurasian Patent Office and other key organizations dealing with intellectual property issues attended the event.

Key areas of discussion:

1. The role of IP marketing in the development of technology parks and TISCs

• International experts, including WIPO representatives and leading professionals from France and Switzerland, presented successful cases on technology transfer, licensing and patent analytics.
• Speakers Michael Mbogoro (WIPO) and Frédéric Caillaud (France) spoke about key tools for developing marketing strategies and managing partnerships.

2. Strategic partnership and international cooperation

• Particular attention was paid to the issues of forming sustainable alliances between technology parks, government agencies and businesses.
• Representatives of China and the Eurasian Patent Office shared their experience in expanding public services to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the field of IP.

3. Practical work of participants

• Participants from different countries worked in groups to create specific strategies for promoting innovative projects of technology parks, studying international examples and adapting them to the realities of their countries.

Gaziz Amreyev, Deputy Director of Qazpatent, made the closing remarks. He noted:

“International cooperation in the field of intellectual property is key to building a sustainable innovation ecosystem. The regional meeting allowed us to unite the efforts of countries in the Eurasian region and beyond to solve common problems. We are proud that Kazakhstan is becoming the center of such large-scale and significant events.”

The results of the meeting will serve as the basis for:

• Developing new mechanisms for technology transfer and IP marketing.
• Strengthening international alliances between technology parks and TISCs.
• Supporting small and medium-sized enterprises through government initiatives and international cooperation.

The regional meeting of WIPO and EAPO confirmed the relevance of intellectual property issues in the context of global challenges. The participation of representatives from different countries underlines the importance of strengthening international dialogue, sharing experiences and jointly finding solutions for the development of the innovation ecosystem. Kazakhstan, acting as a platform for such events, demonstrates its commitment to integrating innovations into the economic development of the region.