WIPO Global Awards for SMEs and Startups

Through this Awards Program, WIPO undertakes to celebrate SMEs that have used IP rights to commercialize innovative and creative products/services beyond their home country, and in the case of startups, for integrating IP into their business venture at an early stage, acknowledging the potential to commercialize their IP assets.

For the 2025 edition, they are introducing Special Mentions to recognize and reward the best woman and youth entrepreneur of 2025. The aim is to celebrate their successes and inspire more women and youth to pursue entrepreneurial paths.

The recipients of these Special Mentions will be selected from among the CEOs/founders of the winning companies by the WIPO Global Awards Selection Committee based on the same indicators established for the contest.

Benefits

• Winners will receive:
  • Travel to Geneva to attend the Awards Ceremony and special events (funded in accordance with WIPO’s rules),
  • A WIPO Trophy specifically designed for this Program,
  • Customized IP mentorship opportunities (considering, on a case-by-case basis, the business background and specific needs of the winners).
• In addition, winners will be offered promotion, visibility and recognition through an Awards ceremony, special WIPO Awards webpage, WIPO media, and other external IP related media.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligibility for SMEs
  • The Awards Program is open to all SMEs located in at least one of WIPO’s 193 Member States and meeting the following conditions:
    • It is a registered business entity. Proof of registration is required.
    • It has no more than 300 employees and up to 15 THEM$ millions of total annual sales.
    • It is a holder of at least one registered IP right.
    • It is exporting its products or services to at least one country.
• Eligibility for startups
  • The Awards Program is open to all startups located in at least one of WIPO’s 193 Member States and meeting the following conditions:
    • The startup is a registered business entity with a legal existence of no more than three years. Proof of registration is required.
    • It has no more than 50 employees.
    • The startup has an innovative product or service associated with IP rights.
    • The startup has submitted at least one application for the registration of one IP right and/or is the holder of at least one registered IP right.
    • The startup is affiliated with a business support organization, such as an incubator, an accelerator, or a similar entity. Proof of affiliation is required.
    • The startup has affirmed its engagement with at least one commercial customer, and/or has completed a business sale, and/or secured one investor.

Evaluation Process

• WIPO Secretariat, through its internal Awards Program team, will draw up a short list of finalists among all submissions received in time. Finalists will be notified by email at least a week in advance of the public announcement of the shortlist.
• An international jury composed of up to seven individuals with extensive expertise in the fields of innovation, creativity and IP, and reflecting geographical, gender, age, cultural and language diversity, will select winners from among the shortlisted finalists. The winners will be notified by email at least a week in advance of the Awards Ceremony.
• The selection criteria that the WIPO Secretariat and the international jury will use for the evaluation of the submissions consist primarily of the written responses provided by applicants regarding the following areas of evaluation:
  • Applicable to SMEs:
    • Understanding and ability to use IP rights (or a combination of such rights) to protect, manage, and commercialize IP assets, as well as other intangible assets such as data, to achieve business and/or corporate objectives.
    • Existing positive contribution to up to three Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are at the heart of The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which has been adopted by all UN Member States in 2015 and provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.
  • Applicable to startups:
    • Business pitch, on areas such as business feasibility, unique value proposition, and scalability and vision for job growth.
    • Demonstrate the potential to use IP rights and/or existing use of IP rights (or a combination of such rights) to protect, manage, and commercialize IP assets, as well as other intangible assets such as data, to achieve business and/or corporate objectives.
    • Existing and/or potential positive contribution to up to three Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are at the heart of The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which has been adopted by all UN Member States in 2015 and provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future
• The jury will follow an approach that upholds inclusiveness and diversity.
• All decisions of the WIPO Secretariat and the international jury are final and not subject to any appeal.

For more information, visit WIPO.