Call For Applications: WIPO Scale Up Your IP Online Programme for Women

The Call For Applications: WIPO Scale Up Your IP Online Programme for Women is open to women innovators seeking to strengthen their knowledge of intellectual property, innovation and entrepreneurship. The programme forms part of WIPO’s efforts to increase women’s participation in the global intellectual property ecosystem and help women make greater use of IP systems.

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has opened applications for the Scale Up Your IP Online Program for Women Innovators, an initiative designed to help women strengthen their understanding and use of intellectual property.

The programme comes as part of WIPO’s broader work to address the persistent gender gap in intellectual property, innovation and creativity.

According to WIPO, women remain significantly underrepresented among inventors using international patent systems. The organization estimates that women accounted for 17.7% of inventors named in international patent applications in 2023, highlighting the need for initiatives that expand women’s knowledge, participation and access to the IP ecosystem.

Background & Programme Description

The Scale Up Your IP Online Program for Women Innovators is part of WIPO’s efforts to empower women through intellectual property education and capacity building.

Intellectual property can play an important role in helping innovators protect, manage and commercialize their ideas, inventions, brands and creative work. However, limited knowledge of IP systems can prevent innovators from taking full advantage of these opportunities.

WIPO’s women-focused initiatives seek to address this challenge by expanding knowledge and capacities and encouraging greater participation by women in innovation and entrepreneurship.

The programme is particularly relevant to women innovators interested in understanding how intellectual property can support the growth and development of their innovative activities.

Programme Focus

The initiative is connected to WIPO’s broader IP and Gender Action Plan (IPGAP), which provides a strategic framework for promoting and advancing women’s engagement in intellectual property, innovation and creativity.

WIPO’s work in this area includes:

Increasing women’s knowledge of intellectual property.
Expanding women’s participation in the IP ecosystem.
Supporting women innovators and entrepreneurs.
Improving access to IP-related education and capacity building.
Addressing gender disparities in innovation and patenting.
Promoting policies and initiatives that support women in IP.

The programme therefore sits within a wider international effort to create a more inclusive innovation ecosystem.

Who Can Benefit

The information provided by WIPO identifies the programme as being for women innovators.

The supplied source does not provide the full eligibility criteria, application requirements or deadline for the Scale Up Your IP Online Program itself. Applicants should therefore consult the specific programme announcement and application information before submitting an application.

Women involved in innovation, entrepreneurship or intellectual property-related activities may find the programme relevant, particularly if they are seeking to improve their understanding of how IP can support their work.

Why Intellectual Property Matters for Women Innovators

Intellectual property can help innovators protect and manage valuable ideas and creations.

For women entrepreneurs and innovators, stronger knowledge of IP can support decision-making around areas such as protecting inventions, developing brands, managing creative assets and exploring commercialization opportunities.

WIPO’s work highlights the continuing disparity between women and men in the international patent system.

The organization reports that only 17.7% of inventors listed on international patent applications were women in 2023. Although women’s participation has been increasing, WIPO notes that progress remains slow.

WIPO estimates that, at current rates, parity among inventors listed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty could only be reached in 2077.

Programmes aimed at increasing women’s access to IP education and capacity building are therefore intended to contribute to closing this gap.

Additional Information

The Scale Up Your IP Online Program for Women Innovators is one element of WIPO’s broader initiatives addressing women and intellectual property.

WIPO has also developed the IP and Gender Action Plan, published in 2023, which focuses on policy, data and capacity-building initiatives to promote women’s engagement in IP, innovation and creativity.

In 2024, WIPO published its Policy on Gender Equality, providing broader guidance on equal participation in the innovation ecosystem and organizations supporting innovation.

The organization also hosts the Women and IP Symposium for IP and Innovation Offices, a global platform where intellectual property offices, policymakers, innovators and experts exchange experiences and approaches for advancing women’s participation.

The 2026 edition of the symposium was held from May 11 to 13, 2026, in Geneva and online.

The Innovation Gender Gap

WIPO’s women and IP programme is linked to a broader challenge concerning women’s participation in innovation.

The organization highlights disparities in the use of intellectual property systems and continues to conduct research into the reasons behind the innovation gender gap.

Its research examines issues including:

Women’s awareness of IP rights.
Women’s participation in patenting.
Access to the IP system.
IP commercialization.
Gender equality in innovation.
Policies supporting women inventors and entrepreneurs.
Barriers faced by women when using intellectual property systems.

WIPO also maintains an IPGAP Database, which provides examples of policies and initiatives around the world designed to support women’s participation in innovation and intellectual property.

How to Apply

Women innovators interested in the WIPO Scale Up Your IP Online Program should review the specific programme announcement and follow the official application instructions provided by WIPO.

Because the source provided does not include the programme’s detailed application form, eligibility criteria or closing date, applicants should verify those details through WIPO before submitting an application.

Applicants should also be cautious about relying on third-party websites for application instructions and use WIPO’s official channels for the most accurate information.

Conclusion

The Call For Applications: WIPO Scale Up Your IP Online Programme for Women forms part of WIPO’s wider effort to strengthen women’s participation in intellectual property, innovation and entrepreneurship.

With women representing only 17.7% of inventors named in international patent applications in 2023, initiatives that improve access to IP education and capacity building can play an important role in addressing the global innovation gender gap.

Women innovators interested in strengthening their understanding of intellectual property should review the official WIPO programme information, confirm the eligibility requirements and application deadline, and submit their applications according to the published instructions.

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