Microsoft 4Afrika hands over IP Hub to Comesa

MICROSOFT 4Afrika has transferred full ownership and management of its Intellectual Property Hub to the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (Comesa), expanding its reach to more countries on the continent in an effort to enable increased cross-border trade.

The IP Hub, which Microsoft 4Afrika developed and launched in 2014, is an online learning resource designed to drive awareness around intellectual property rights.

Through a series of modules, it educates innovators on the ins and outs of copyright, trademarks, patents and general IP protection.

“The Comesa IP Hub is a concerted effort between the public and private sector for the development of a regional platform that can contribute to strengthening national IP protection system, in a manner that promotes innovation, business development and trade,” Comesa secretary general Sindiso Ngwenya said.

Microsoft 4Afrika corporate affairs director Louis Otieno said the company developed the IP Hub with the promise to pilot it and then hand it over to local governments and authorities.

“This is therefore an exciting milestone for us, especially as we commemorate the 17th Annual World IP Day,” said Otieno.

This year’s World IP Day, which took place on April 26, focused on how IP systems can support innovation that improves lives.

According to the new 2017 US Chamber International IP Index, economies with robust IP protection see 80 percent more knowledge-based, technological and creative outputs, and are 68 percent more likely to have supportive business climates. In addition to handing over the IP Hub, Microsoft 4Afrika continues to collaborate with IP authorities in Comesa member states to automate their IP registration processes.

Microsoft and Comesa are also working together to enable the creation of new IP. By promoting a trusted cloud infrastructure — underpinned by relevant policies around cyber-security and data privacy — the two organisations hope to encourage more people to use cloud technology, develop their own IP and ultimately participate in trade and e-commerce across borders.

Microsoft is the leading platform and productivity company for the mobile-first, cloud-first world, and its mission is to empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more.