Inventor Assistance Program

How does it work? The Inventor Assistance Program matches inventors with patent attorneys who are willing to give them free legal advice on how to file a patent to protect their inventions. Patent protection is a powerful legal tool that allows the patent owner to control who uses their invention. Patents can be very valuable. All too often, however, inventors and small businesses in the developing world fail to obtain patents because they lack the resources or specialist knowledge needed to use the system. The Inventor Assistance Program aims to help solve that problem by putting eligible inventors and small businesses in touch with an expert in their country who is willing to help them free of charge. The program is a joint initiative of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the World Economic Forum, with support and input from some of the world’s leading businesses and law firms. For more information, visit: www.wipo.int/iap A