Youth, technology and intellectual property were the key topics of the 7th edition of the International Innovation Conference, held on December 3, 2025, within the framework of the International Specialized Exhibition “INFOINVENT-2025”, at the Moldexpo International Exhibition Center.

The event, organized by the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI) in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Research, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the European Patent Office (EPO) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), within the framework of the European Union-funded project “Strengthening Intellectual Property Rights in Moldova and Ukraine” (EU4IP), brought together young innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, teachers and representatives of the academic and business environment, providing a platform for dialogue on the role of intellectual property in building the future.

Opening the conference, Eugeniu Rusu, Director General of AGEPI, noted that investing in the education and creativity of young people is one of the most effective ways to stimulate innovation and progress. Representatives of international partner institutions also emphasized the importance of cooperation and the formation of a culture of intellectual property among the new generations. Christoph Ernst, Vice-President of the EPO, also delivered a welcoming message online, underlining the importance of European cooperation in the field of intellectual property and supporting young innovators.

The presence of Monica-Alexandrina Tod, Deputy Scientific Director of the Grassland Research and Development Institute Brasov, added scientific rigor and academic perspective to the debates. At the same time, the involvement of Professor Mihai Balan from the Technical University of Moldova and Liliana Staver, representative of the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova, confirmed the growing interest of the academic environment in using intellectual property in research and innovation activity.

The first panel of the conference, with the theme “Intellectual Property as an Accelerator of the Creativity of Young Inventors and Entrepreneurs”, explored how intellectual property can support young initiatives, transforming innovative ideas into successful projects. The discussions focused on examples of good practices, support mechanisms and development prospects for young people aspiring to become inventors and entrepreneurs. A special moment was the presentation of the “Răchițele” Team, which shared the story of the “woven hills” – a creative concept inspired by tradition and reinterpreted in a modern key. The team came to the conference together with their mentor, designer Mihai Stamati, offering participants an authentic perspective on the creative process and IP protection.

The second panel, entitled “Education for Innovation: Integrating Intellectual Property into the Training of New Generations”, was dedicated to the role of education in stimulating creativity and innovative thinking. Participants highlighted the importance of familiarizing young people with the principles of intellectual property from school, as part of their professional and personal training, and discussed possible collaborations between the educational environment and the innovation sector.

An inspiring moment of the event was the intervention of Oxana Zaporoniuc, a student at the Technical University of Moldova and Youth IP Ambassador in the Republic of Moldova, appointed by WIPO to promote the culture of intellectual property among the new generation. She shared the story of her journey – from her first creative projects to international recognition – highlighting the role of intellectual property rights in supporting young innovators and authentic creativity.

The conference also benefited from a substantial contribution from the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and the EU4IP project, whose involvement was essential both in the organization of this edition and in the entire program of the International Specialized Exhibition “INFOINVENT-2025”. EUIPO representatives brought up for discussion consolidated European perspectives on the protection of intellectual property rights, highlighting the role of education, awareness and digital tools in preventing infringements and stimulating creativity.

The conference ended with a joint call to strengthen partnerships between public institutions, academia and the community of innovators, in order to support young people in transforming their ideas into solutions that contribute to the sustainable development of society.

The International Innovation Conference is part of the program of events held within the International Specialized Exhibition “INFOINVENT-2025”, which takes place from December 3 to 5, 2025.