On March 11, the National Institute for the Defense of Competition and Protection of Intellectual Property (Indecopi, in Spanish), launched the “IP Route” program to encourage the development of intellectual property (IP) in the private sector. The idea is to help companies understand and create IP assets, so that they increase their value and competitiveness in the market. Interested companies can register using a form which can be accessed by clicking here.  

The new “IP Route” program is intended to help companies develop strategies, plans or routes to optimize operations according to each business’s structure, capabilities and type. It is aimed at companies which operate in the following sectors: Agriculture and Livestock, Metallurgy and Mining, Manufacturing, Basic Services, Construction, Information and Communication Technologies and Technological Services. 

After subscribing, each participating company will receive a report containing a general diagnosis on intellectual property matters, which also identifies those elements which could be protected, such as inventions, designs, brands and software, among others. Similarly, Indecopi will send each company an action plan to help strengthen their internal approach to and management of IP.