WIPO Training, Mentoring and Matchmaking Program for Women Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurship based on traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions celebrates the rich and diverse cultures and traditions of Indigenous Peoples, as well as local communities, around the world, strengthening their sense of identity and belonging, as well as creating jobs and generating income.

However, community entrepreneurs from Indigenous Peoples, as well as local communities, often face difficulties due to a lack of awareness of, and expertise on intellectual property.

Women from Indigenous Peoples, as well as local communities, many of whom play a key role as holders and custodians of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, represent a significant number of these entrepreneurs, often facing additional difficulties due to inequalities in access to education, funding, and support services.

Program Structure 

• The program has a practical approach and consists of a training phase, and a mentoring and matchmaking phase.
• The training phase will take place in person in Sydney, Australia, from March 24 to 28, 2025. It will consist of a practical workshop that will include a mixture of short presentations, case studies and group work.
• During the practical workshop, participants will have the opportunity to:
  • Build capacity in intellectual property and acquire the skills necessary for an effective use of intellectual property rights, including in the digital economy;
  • Acquire basic knowledge of related fields useful in an entrepreneurial context, such as business modeling, marketing and digital storytelling.
• The practical workshop will also provide the opportunity for participants to network and share experiences with other women entrepreneurs from Indigenous Peoples, as well as local communities, from the region, and to further develop their projects and businesses.
• The mentoring and matchmaking phase will start after the practical workshop and last until March 2026. During that phase, mentors will be assigned to individual participants to provide guidance and support in the implementation of the intellectual property components of the participants’ projects and businesses.
• Mentoring will be provided through video chat, emailing and telephone communication by WIPO and/or its program collaborators.
• In delivering the objectives of the program, WIPO will work with program collaborators and experts who bring deep and valuable experiences to the table.

Cost Covered 

• WIPO will cover the costs of travel, accommodation and subsistence associated with the participant’s attendance to the practical workshop.

Who can apply? 

• Women entrepreneurs from Indigenous Peoples, as well as local communities, in particular those who work jointly with other members of their communities, as part of a community based business or project based on traditional knowledge or traditional cultural expressions, are encouraged to apply.
• WIPO will select up to 24 participants. Provided that an adequate number of applications are received, every effort will be made to select at least one participant from the following countries:
  • Fiji
  • Kiribati
  • Federated States of Micronesia
  • Nauru
  • Niue
  • Palau
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Marshall Islands
  • Samoa
  • Solomon Islands
  • Tonga
  • Tuvalu
  • Vanuatu

Language Requirements

• Participants should be able to effectively communicate in English.

For more information, visit WIPO.