Please wait while the page is loading...
30 July 2024
Asia scored big at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Global Awards 2024 as four small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the region figured among the nine winners of the prestigious annual awards held on July 12, 2024, during the 65th WIPO General Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.
The WIPO Global Awards recognize startup companies and SMEs around the world that have smartly used their intellectual property portfolio to innovate, achieve commercial success and improve society.
The winning SMEs from Asia are:
AETECH (South Korea) – provides an efficient and cost-effective waste recycling solution via the use of a robot with AI deep learning technologies, enabling accurate sorting into 46 subcategories
Healinno Tech (China) – facilitates treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia via its automated waterjet ablation surgical robot
Meticuly (Thailand) – designs perfect fitting titanium bone replacements using 3D and AI technologies, as opposed to pre-sized implants currently in use, thus improving patients’ quality of life
Vivo Surgical (Singapore) – develops medical devices designed to improve surgeons’ abilities to perform complex surgeries, especially in times of disaster and conflict when lack of electricity hampers surgical operations
“This accolade underscores our commitment to advancing several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including promoting good health and well-being and reducing inequalities,” said Kevin Koh, founder and CEO of Vivo Surgical.
“Winning this prestigious global award sends a powerful message to healthcare organizations, funders and investors, opening doors for enhanced collaboration and development opportunities. This recognition will also further bolster our IP portfolio and fuel greater innovation in our technological advancements,” he added.
“They were one of our WIPO-IPOS IP for Innovation Award winners in 2022, and we’re glad they have gained yet another prestigious accolade, thanks to their innovation and strategic use of IP,” said a representative from the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS).
Rounding up the winning circle were Farmers Lifeline Technologies (Kenya), Laboratorios Química Luar (Argentina), PONS Technology (Turkey), Qnami (Switzerland) and ScansX (Kuwait). As winners of the WIPO Global Awards 2024, these startups and SMEs will benefit from networking and mentoring opportunities on IP commercialization, international promotion and access to WIPO’s resources, among others.
The nine winners bested over 660 other startups and SMEs from 107 countries. Among them were the 25 finalists, including companies from China, the Philippines, India, Thailand and Japan. WIPO Director General Daren Tang presented the trophies to the winners during the awarding ceremony.
- Espie Angelica A. de Leon
