IP Offices still searching for (the holy grail) of innovation and incentives: the view from IPWeek @ SG
There was a time when national IP offices were cozy little operations, dealing with the registration of patents, trademarks and designs. Various national offices did a better or worse job at this, but all agreed- the task of the IP office was ….well, mostly technical and administrative. No one came looking for guidance on how the fruits of protected IP was meant to filter through the greater world of business and industry. No more. While not the stuff of racy headlines, one of the most important dynamics running through the IP world is how national IP offices are coming to terms with this expanded role, easily defined in the abstract, but surprisingly challenging to implement. Against this backdrop, this Kat felt the undercurrents of uncertainty that characterized the First Plenary Session (““Anchoring Innovation: The Future of IP Organisations”) of the 2018 edition of Singapore’s nonpareil IPWeek @ SG . This Kat was not able to attend this year, but the Intellectual Property Office...