Businesses get new support to manage intellectual property

Jamaican entrepreneurs are increasingly turning culture, creativity and ideas into market potential, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), which on Tuesday joined the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) in launching a new Intellectual Property (IP) Management Clinic.

The scaled-up programme is designed to help businesses better protect and commercialise their intellectual property.

Mariana Velasco, associate programme officer in the IP for Business Division, IP Innovation Ecosystems Sector at WIPO, said the strong response to the initiative reflects the growing sophistication of Jamaica’s entrepreneurial landscape.

A total of 67 businesses applied to participate in the clinic.

She pointed to findings from WIPO’s Global Innovation Index 2025, which indicate that Jamaican entrepreneurs are increasingly converting culture, creativity and ideas into market opportunities.

“This is precisely why the scaled-up clinic matters. Its purpose is not simply to explain the different IP rights, nor is it to encourage businesses to register everything, everywhere. Its purpose is to help each company make informed and proportionate decisions based on its business model, resources, priority markets, and growth plans,” Velasco said.

“The central question is, therefore, not only which IP right can I obtain; it is also how can I use IP to strengthen my business,” she added.

The four-month programme is designed to strengthen the capacity of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises to manage and commercialise intellectual property more effectively, boosting growth and competitiveness. Participants will receive tailored support through one-on-one mentorship, expert guidance and specialised training.

BUSINESS ASSET

Speaking at the three-day launch at the ROK Hotel in downtown Kingston on Tuesday, Industry, Investment and Commerce Minister Aubyn Hill said intellectual property should be regarded as a business asset rather than a legal formality.

“Jamaica is serious about growing businesses, increasing exports, and building wealth. We must be equally serious about protecting, managing, and commercialising the ideas, brands, inventions, and creative work our people produce,” he said.

Hill said strong IP protection gives businesses a firmer footing when entering export markets, negotiating partnerships, licensing assets, attracting investment, and retaining a greater share of the value they create.

He urged entrepreneurs seeking to expand their operations to secure both their business and intellectual property rights early.

Businesses, he noted, can register with the Companies Office of Jamaica and seek protection through JIPO and international bodies such as WIPO to safeguard ownership of their brands and other intellectual assets.

JIPO Executive Director Lilyclaire Bellamy encouraged entrepreneurs to use the programme as an opportunity to deepen their understanding of intellectual property and its potential to support business growth.

“If you haven’t done so before, now is an opportunity for you to really become familiar with IP and how IP can help your business to grow,” Bellamy said.