International Business News – Recently, the Chilean National Institute of Industrial Property (INAPI) and the Chilean National Institute for Research and Development (ANID) signed a cooperation agreement aimed at enriching the country’s science, technology, knowledge and innovation system and enhancing the private sector’s capacity for intellectual property management and technology transfer.
Specifically, according to this agreement, the two sides will not only launch corresponding pilot programs on intellectual property management and technology transfer, but also coordinate to provide those technology-based companies with the necessary tools. In addition, the agreement can also closely link the two activities “INAPI Running” and “StartUp Ciencia”. Among them, “StartUp Ciencia” is led by ANID.
After qualifying start-ups evaluate the above tools, the relevant technical support team will define future strategic goals for these companies and launch pilot projects. According to the framework of the above-mentioned project, those start-ups funded by ANID will also receive professional guidance provided by INAPI and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
In other words, the parties concerned will respond to and implement the initiative proposed by the Chilean Ministry of Science and the Ministry of Economy through such a work plan aimed at actively promoting the development of the country.
ANID director Alejandra Pizarro said: “We are convinced that working together is the best way to make a bigger, better and faster impact at home. Above all, in entrepreneurship and innovation, we must have find a tacit understanding that stimulates synergies between different agencies to achieve more valuable outcomes in the public sector. ANID has increased the coverage of its tools and resources to enhance technology-based innovation and intellectual property transfer work. We need a network of experts, such as INAPI, to support the teams involved in our funded projects, to help them make the most of and protect their innovations and succeed at national and international levels in Chile.”
INAPI Running Competition
In 2020, INAPI launched a competition called “INAPI Running” for domestic technology companies. The project aims to address a range of issues related to technology transfer in the innovation ecosystem. It should be pointed out here that although the protection of intellectual property rights has become stronger in recent years, the number of protected innovations that finally enter the market is still relatively small, and the impact on the Chilean production sector is also very limited.
For the above reasons, INAPI, as a government agency responsible for the management and maintenance of intellectual property services, sees itself as necessary to provide a holistic approach to technological development and entrepreneurship, thereby increasing the likelihood of domestic enterprises to succeed in domestic and international markets. The original intention of this competition is to identify internal and external players in the innovation ecosystem, provide comprehensive and complete training and guidance based on the pillars of technology, economy, market and law, and develop corresponding standards. Since its inception, the program has provided training to 21 businesses.
StartUp Ciencia Competition
As a competition that first appeared in 2020, the project is supported by the Chilean Ministry of Science and organized by ANID. The competition is designed to promote the development of technology companies, providing them with the necessary funding, support and networks to continuously improve their odds of success. At the same time, the event will also help to accelerate the current R&D work process, commercialize the corresponding R&D results and expand its share in the domestic and international market. Obviously, this new project based on scientific and technological knowledge will have a relatively positive impact on the economy, society and the environment. Chile must fully understand and address emerging, unpredictable and unprepared challenges. Technological innovation is an important tool that enables substantial leaps in the way businesses and individuals do things. A total of 64 start-ups have been awarded and financially supported by ANID at the events held in 2020 and 2021. The 2022 competition will offer more than 60 incentives.