Last week, our Founder & CEO, Martial Medi, took part in a unique 3-day business and blockchain conference in Cameroon. The event was co-organised by AFERVERSE, a Web3 project born out of our IP community that aims to leverage the African National football team's unused intellectual property (IP) to create new monetisation avenues that will support the financing of local football and sports initiatives. AFERVERSE's first pilot project is in collaboration with Cameroon’s football legends and consists of a unique value-added series of NFTs that provide access to unique merchandise and experiences.
At the heart of the Level Up conference was an idea to inspire the local youth and businesses while showcasing the importance and impact of new technologies and innovative business practices for economic and financial success.
This conference brought together experts, members of the local government, business owners, public personalities and many others through a series of keynote speeches, roundtable conversations and networking sessions. As an integral part of the AFERVERSE project, it was an honour to have our CEO give a keynote speech to an audience of over 1500 attendees on the importance of IP for future economic development and success.
IP plays a crucial role in the success of both international innovation and trade, with products and services of high IP value achieving better profit margins than those of lower IP value. This also translates to the quality and wages earned in industries that heavily rely on IP assets. Registered IP assets such as copyright and trademarks are primordial to a country or nation's ability to trade with others. Meanwhile, the nursing of local innovation encourages the development of targeted cost-effective solutions to local problems, as seen in the development of hospital ventilators by local engineers during the covid pandemic. In countries such as the US, national IP strategies and policies are a matter of national security while in others such as China, IP and innovation paved the path of national prosperity and rapid economic growth.
Per the Global Innovation Index, Switzerland remains the world's most innovative country thanks to several factors:
Strong investment in research and development: Switzerland invests heavily in research and development (R&D). According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Switzerland ranks consistently among the top countries in the world for R&D investment, with the private sector accounting for the majority of the funding.
High-quality education system: Switzerland's education system is renowned for its high-quality, with universities consistently ranking among the best in the world. The country has a strong focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education, which provides a strong foundation for innovation.
Strong culture of innovation and entrepreneurship: Switzerland has a long history of innovation and entrepreneurship. The country is home to a number of globally recognized brands such as Nestle, Novartis, and Rolex, and has a thriving startup ecosystem.
Access to talent: Switzerland attracts a highly skilled and diverse workforce, with a reputation for a high quality of life, excellent working conditions, and a stable political environment. This makes it an attractive destination for businesses looking to establish a presence in Europe.
Strong intellectual property protection: Switzerland has a robust legal framework for intellectual property protection, which encourages innovation by incentivising companies to invest in R&D and bring new products and services to market.
To summarise, investing in the creation, protection, and monetisation of quality IP assets is a clear path to success for any developing business and nation.
The Level Up event was a success thanks to all those that took part and shared their stories, knowledge and expertise. As always our team remains loyal to our promise to create awareness and educate individuals and businesses alike on the importance of intellectual property and the value of effective IP management strategies.
