IPOPHL, PCCI open Alfred M. Yao Awards 2021 in new search for economy-boosting IPs

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) are calling for innovators to join this year’s Alfredo M. Yao (AMY) Intellectual Property (IP) Awards, an annual joint event of IPOPHL and PCCI to recognize patented and patentable technologies that can contribute to economic development.

IPOPHL Director General Rowel S. Barba said the award’s relevance is heightened today as the country scrambles to find sources for economic recovery.

“Efforts to keep the wheels of innovation turning is IPOPHL’s contribution to attract investments, create jobs and build the society stronger,” Barba said.

“Winners of the Intellectual Property Awards get to fine-tune their innovations as part of the contest’s support mechanism,” said PCCI IP Committee Chairman Anton Sayo.

IPOPHL and the PCCI encouraged entrepreneurs, professionals, researchers and students to join either as individuals or in groups, noting that non-disclosure agreements will be signed before pitching to ensure the protection of their innovations.

The AMY award is divided into two categories: collegiate for undergraduates and professional for post-graduate students, researchers and individual inventors.

Each level will name one winner with each to be rewarded with P100,000. Winners’ IP innovations will be showcased this November 17 at the 47th Philippine Business Conference and Expo, one of the biggest annual business gatherings in the country.

“Winners of the Intellectual Property Awards also get to fine-tune their innovations as part of the contest’s support mechanism,” said PCCI IP Committee Chairman Anton Sayo.

To be eligible for the awards, the technology to be pitched to the investor-judges must:

1) Have commercial potential;

2) Be able to solve an existing or potential problem of society or contribute to the development of the local community;

3) Be environmentally sound and sustainable; and

4) Be patented or patentable.

Judges will vote based on readiness for commercialization (40%); uniqueness and originality of IP (20%); social impact (20%); and environmental impact (10%).

Entries will be accepted until September 30 to give enough time for evaluation before the slated announcement of the winners on October 25.

More details on the eligibility, documentary requirements and mechanics can be viewed at https://www.ipophil.gov.ph/alfredo-m-yao-ip-awards/.