IPOPHL, WIPO mentor 22 MSMEs on IP strategy

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines and the World Intellectual Property Organization have completed a four-month mentoring program that helped 22 micro, small and medium enterprises use intellectual property as a tool for competitiveness, expansion, and long-term business growth.

The program, called the Intellectual Property Management Clinic, was held jointly by IPOPHL and WIPO and was the first of its kind in the Philippines.

For small businesses, the program matters because many of their most valuable assets are not always physical inventory or equipment, but names, designs, recipes, processes, creative works, branding, and innovations that can be protected, commercialized, and used to attract partners or investors.

For consumers and communities, stronger MSMEs can mean more resilient local enterprises, better-quality products, wider market access, and more jobs in sectors where small businesses remain a major source of livelihood.

The clinic provided participating MSMEs with one-on-one mentoring and strategic guidance tailored to their business needs.

The sessions focused on integrating IP into business operations, decision-making, and long-term growth plans.

At the graduation ceremony held Monday, IPOPHL Director General Teodoro C. Pascua praised the entrepreneurs and described their progress as proof of their “determination to build stronger, more innovative and more competitive businesses.”

“The value of this credit extends far beyond the classroom; by strategically protecting, managing, commercializing and enforcing your IP, you can strengthen your competitive advantage, unlock new market opportunities, attract partnerships and investments and create lasting value for your enterprises,” DG Pascua continued.

Guy Pessach, director of WIPO’s IP for Business Division, also commended the graduates.

Pessach said businesses “must navigate the IP toolbox in order to succeed locally as well as beyond domestic markets.”

A central lesson of the program was that many businesses already own hidden IP assets that can be identified through IP audits and protected through registration.

More importantly, the clinic encouraged entrepreneurs to treat IP not merely as paperwork or legal compliance, but as a strategic asset that can help generate value, strengthen market position, and support business growth.

That shift is especially relevant for MSMEs trying to scale beyond local markets, where protected brands, designs, and innovations can help prevent copying, support licensing opportunities, and improve investor confidence.

Participants said the mentoring changed how they viewed their business models and how they identified, managed, and used IP for growth.

“We have really innovative products and systems, but we didn’t have IP strategies for them. And we were uncertain which assets we should prioritize for protection and commercialization,” shared Maggerose V. Carado, founder and creative director of clothing brand Modern Ilongga.

Carado said the clinic helped her business prioritize designs and innovations for protection and develop a clearer commercialization strategy.

Another participant, Ace Edward A. Ferrano of Ayana’s Siling Kinamayo, said the program gave their enterprise a structured way to understand IP as a business asset.

“As our business matured, we recognized that a significant portion of our enterprise value was embedded in intangible assets. Through mentoring sessions, business diagnostics, and practical discussions, we gained valuable insights into intellectual asset management, commercialization readiness, innovation protection, and competitive positioning,” Ferrano said.

The program reflects a broader push to help MSMEs become IP-forward enterprises, or businesses that use intellectual property not only defensively but also as part of product development, market positioning, financing, and expansion.

Since its inception in 2022, the IPMC has been implemented by WIPO in various countries worldwide. (Rawl Maliwat, Communications & Marketing Writer)