Business of IP Asia Forum sheds light on Global IP business opportunities

2 December 2022 – Intellectual property (IP) authorities and business leaders from across the world gathered to discuss trends, paradigm shifts and opportunities in the IP market at the two-day Business of IP Asia (BIP Asia) Forum, which concluded today. Jointly organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and Hong Kong Design Centre, this leading annual IP event attracted more than 14,000 online and physical participants from over 40 countries and regions to share insights, network and explore business collaboration opportunities.

The physical-online hybrid BIP Asia Forum, themed “Creating New Value, Discovering New Frontiers”, was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) with physical sessions livestreamed. More than 70 seasoned industry leaders and well-established speakers outlined proposals to build a sustainable IP ecosystem and analysed the effective implementation of IP strategies for business expansion, while exploring the business potential of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) through forums, plenary sessions, workshops and product showcases.

International IP experts share sustainable IP ecosystem insights

To cope with ever-changing global IP protection policies and thrive in a dynamic world amid technological breakthroughs, effective bilateral communication with market participants is of the utmost importance in the IP industry to establish its position and remain resilient through economic cycles. At the inaugural Policy Dialogue – Aspiration to Action: Co-creating a Resilient and Sustainable IP Ecosystem, a forum highlight, international IP experts exchanged valuable insights on enhancing the sustainability of the global IP ecosystem. Antony Taubman, Director of Intellectual Property Division at World Trade Organization (WTO) said: “We have witnessed a revolution in the way that intellectual property is traded and used to promote development and economic growth. Knowledge flow is also central to equitable development. The experience with COVID has shown that innovation and access to the fruits of innovation are essential and must be factored into all areas of policy and international trade. The Hong Kong government is right to position the city as a regional IP trading centre, and to provide the strategic, careful, integrated and systemic thinking required to make it work.”

Summit focuses on re-industrialisation

The BIP Asia Forum’s “Global Tech Summit” addressed the “Industrial Metaverse: Propelling Re-industrialisation in Hong Kong” topic. The HKSAR Government has actively promoted re-industrialisation to boost the city’s sustainable economic growth. The summit brought together technology leaders and pioneers to analyse the transformation of the global manufacturing landscape and ways in which it could accelerate the revitalisation of Hong Kong’s manufacturing sector. Having led artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives in the Asia Pacific, Simon See, Senior Director and Chief Solution Architect; Global Head of NVIDIA AI Technology Center, NVIDIA Corporation, shared his views on metaverse and re-industrialisation.

Simon See said: “Many people believe that the metaverse is only for social purposes. However, it is indeed highly relevant to how industries operate. Digital twins, for example, can assist businesses in developing simulations and increasing efficiency. To build the metaverse, many IP and digital assets will need to be created, and no single company can do it all. The private sector, the education sector and communities are all needed to help build various components. That is why we need the ecosystem to grow as quickly as possible for the metaverse to become a reality.”

Educating IP users and owners on diverse topics

The sessions on the first day covered a diverse IP-related topics. Inspo Talk: IP issues Revolving KOL/Influencer Marketing was an informative session for IP users who actively deploy personalities on social media for marketing purposes. On the same subject, legal experts shared crucial guidance at the IP Do’s and Don’ts on Social Media session. A talk on the Introduction to the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks provided valuable information to innovators who seek to protect their creations.

Many firms are seeking to explore opportunities in the vibrant Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a fast‑expanding trade bloc. On the second day of event, the Workshop on ASEAN Roadmap to Successful IP Commercialisation in a Knowledge-based Economy offered thoughts on how innovators could use inventions and expand in ASEAN. Another panel on business expansion brought together representatives from various fields, such as enterprises, research institutions, financial institutions and IP institutions, to exchange views on the latest technological achievements and IP financing within the GBA.

Education remains an indispensable part of the BIP Asia Forum. This year, collaborating with the Intellectual Property Department, the event continued to offer a wide range of training sessions for IP owners and users. Topics ranged from deployment of copyright and designs in the digital age to the application of patents and key concepts for IP trading. There were also sessions answering questions pertaining to legal issues arising from disputes over IP appropriation.
 

In the IPHatch Asia – Enabling Deep Tech Startups with IPs and Business Networks session, Jason Loh, Founder and CEO of Piece Future, analysed the role of IP and business networks in deep tech start-up development. Start-ups were invited to discuss the importance of IP in business development, share their entrepreneurial journey and offer advice on how to stand out amid the competition.

Co-organised by HKTDC and Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) for the first time this year, the Innovation & IP Market included the Inno Showcase, Open Stage and Tech Consultation Salon. It brought together universities, R&D centres, start-ups, IP users and service providers to network and explore collaboration opportunities. Start-ups and SMEs also gained insights from various industry experts on trademark registration, IP and tech commercialisation, invention protection and capitalising patents.

The HKTDC and The Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today to boost mutual cooperation on technology commercialisation to develop and promote Hong Kong as a global innovation and technology (I&T) hub and regional IP trading center.

Business of IP Asia Forum website: https://bipasia.hktdc.com/en/

Photo download: https://bit.ly/3FlWDOE

Media enquiries

Please contact Hill+Knowlton Strategies:

Rachel Zhu               Tel: (852) 6816 5846              Email: rachel.zhu@hkstrategies.com

Jade Sin                    Tel: (852) 5646 8944              Email: jade.sin@hkstrategies.com

HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:

Clayton Lauw              Tel: (852) 2584 4472              Email: clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.org

Janet Chan                  Tel: (852) 2584 4369              Email: janet.ch.chan@hktdc.org

Sunny Ng                     Tel: (852) 2584 4357              Email: sunny.sl.ng@hktdc.org

Media Room: http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/en

About HKTDC

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via trade publications, research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn