The 6th edition of the International Innovation Conference entitled “Women in Innovation and Business: Inspiration, Involvement, Investment” took place on November 22, in online format. The event was organized by AGEPI, in cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the European Patent Office (EPO).

The event brought together over 150 international and local participants, experts and practitioners, including specialists from national intellectual property offices from other countries such as Poland, Azerbaijan, Romania, Spain, Guinea, etc., representatives of institutions and organizations active in the research, innovation and higher education sphere, residents of scientific-technological parks and innovation incubators, experts in the field of intellectual property, as well as representatives of the business environment.

In the opening of the conference, the Director General of AGEPI, Eugeniu Rusu, mentioned that: “Women have always played a significant role in the development of society, and today, their contribution to innovation and business is more essential than ever. Through this event, we want to highlight the importance of women in all aspects of innovation and give them a space to share their experiences, visions and ideas.”

Habip Asan, Director of the Division for Transition and Developed Countries within the Regional and National Development Sector of WIPO, emphasized in his intervention that the event represents an important step in promoting innovation and the involvement of women in this sphere.

Nellie Simon, Vice-President for Corporate Services at the EPO, Munich, delivered a recorded video message highlighting the importance of supporting women entrepreneurs and innovators to achieve sustainable development goals and welcomed AGEPI’s initiative to raise such an important yet under-addressed topic at present.

The event explored various aspects, among which is the analysis of the essential role of women in the fields of innovation and entrepreneurship, with a focus on the approaches and perspectives specific to the Republic of Moldova. WIPO’s action plan on intellectual property and gender equality was also discussed, highlighting how intellectual property can support women and girls in various contexts.

The discussions also included analysis of women’s participation in inventive activities, providing insights and evidence on patenting in Europe, highlighting diversity in the field of intellectual property. Special attention was also paid to the role of women entrepreneurs in achieving sustainable development goals, with an emphasis on increasing their participation in the fields of innovation and entrepreneurship.

It also highlighted the importance of encouraging women in developing countries to actively use intellectual property, thereby providing them with essential tools for progress and success. In addition, the dimension of female entrepreneurship was explored in the context of sustainable development, exemplified by the transformation of wooden educational toys into a concrete business opportunity.

Innovation Conference is part of the program of related events held within the International Specialized Exhibition “INFOINVENT-2023”, which takes place online from November 22 to 24, 2023.

To visit the online exhibition “INFOINVENT-2023”, we invite you to access the web page dedicated to the event at: www.infoinvent.md.