Africa IP SME Helpdesk hosted its first Intellectual Property Seminar in Pretoria for SMEs in South Africa

On 16 May 2023, the European Union funded Africa IP SME Helpdesk and the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) hosted the ‘Practical intellectual property support programme for SMMEs (small, medium and micro enterprises)’ seminar. The event took place at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) International Convention Centre in Pretoria, South Africa, as well as online via livestream.

Supported by the European Union (EU) Delegation to the Republic of South Africa and the EU Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Southern Africa, the seminar was dedicated to SMMEs seeking to maximise their competitive edge in the green economy through intellectual property (IP). It provided both South African and EU-based SMMEs with practical IP information on compliance, commercialisation strategies, support services, and navigating the green economy.

More than 100 participants joined the session virtually and on-site. Throughout the seminar, they had the opportunity to engage with leading experts and practitioners on a range of topics that will be key to their successful transition to the green economy, such as: ‘IP and Entrepreneurship’, ‘Commercialising IP: lessons from green tech’, and ‘Launch of the upcycling project for counterfeit goods’.