The opening of India’s third United Nation-World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Technology and Innovation Support Centre here will provide a big boost to MSMEs, startups and academics from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha and other nearby States in getting guidance in trade-marking, patenting and technology transfer.
The WIPO has centres in Chennai and Chandigarh and the unit opened here at Sunrise Incubation Hub is the third one in the country.
“Though there were several applicants for WIPO centre, the Centre decided to open it here in recognition of efforts to strengthen the ecosystem for innovation,” National Research Development Corporation Chairman and Managing Director H. Purushotham told The Hindu on Saturday.
MoUs for cooperation
He said over past three months, they had signed MoUs for cooperation with Kalam Institute of Health Technology, AP MedTech Zone and seven educational institutions.
The WIPO centre has so far filed patent applications for one in research in Telangana, five in A.P. and one in Odisha. The centre has sought trademark recognition for five innovations.
After due diligence, 15 patent applications were evaluated, some of them in digital protection of forests, automatic water level controlling, security system for communication terminal and portable automatic emergency braking system.
The centre is funded by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry after India became a member-country of International IPR regime harmonisation agreement in 1997. WIPO headquartered in Geneva oversees enforcement of IPR regime. Bijaya Kumar Sahu, officer in-charge of WIPO centre, Visakhapatnam, Sahu said the main objective of the technology innovation support centre was to provide innovators and entrepreneurs in the country with access to locally based, high quality technology information and related services and helping them exploit their potential and create, protect and manage Indications of Good (GI) for an effective IPR system.
He said a successful IPR system would foster creativity and innovation to promote entrepreneurship. Mr. Sahu can be reached on email bksahu@nrdc.in or at office located at Sunrise Incubation Hub, AP Innovation Society, Hill No. 3, Madhurawada, Visakhapatnam.
