World Intellectual Property Day is annually celebrated on 26 April, under the auspices of the United Nations’ World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). This year’s theme was “IP and Youth: Innovating for a Better Future”.
This year, the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Technology Transfer and Innovation Support (TTIS) office – who are the custodians of intellectual property (IP) at the university – led the celebrations at the three NWU campuses with fun-filled educational events between 20 April and 12 May.
Ketlareng Polori, a senior specialist in commercialisation, says the celebrations was aimed to provide a platform for students to embrace entrepreneurship and to promote intellectual property awareness.
“The celebrations included various events, among others a business elevator pitch competition. For this competition individuals or groups received topics from the organising committee and then had to prepare a business model and pitch overnight, for presentation to a panel of judges,” says Ketlareng.
A quiz video game on intellectual property concepts and announcements of the imminent Leopards Lair Student Entrepreneurship competition and programme also formed part of the festivities.
“We were very fortunate to have speakers and judges from leading IP law firms such as Kisch IP, Spoor & Fischer and Adams & Adams, as well as judges from Vodacom and in-house expert academics in the fields of entrepreneurship and innovation,” adds Ketlareng.
They included Dr Hugo van Schalkwyk (NWU), Thapelo Montong (Adams & Adams), Johan Landsberg (NWU), Jessica Dolota (Kisch IP), Kobus du Raan (Kisch IP), Johan Gouws (NWU), Mary-Anne Waltons (Vodacom), Lindiwe Mashimbye (National Intellectual Property Management Office - NIPMO), Chyreene Truluck (Spoor & Fisher) and Hannes Malan (NWU).
Prof Jeffrey Mphahlele deputy vice-chancellor for research and innovation at the NWU, was on hand to witness the festivities and judge the students’ innovative business pitches.
NIPMO’s Lindiwe Mashimbye also acted as a pitching judge.
The winning teams walked away with R 5 000 cash prizes, kindly sponsored by Kisch IP, Spoor & Fischer and Adams & Adams, and the first runner-up and second runner-up won goodie bags from Vodacom.
Business Elevator Pitch Competition winners:
Mahikeng Campus: 1) Alpha Lab, 2) Buddies, and 3) Naija
Potchefstroom: 1) The Law Duo, 2) Engima Developers, and 3) John’s Inc
Vanderbijlpark Campus:1) Current affairs 2) Commercium, and 3) JNP Systematics
Kahoot Video Quizz winners:
Potchefstroom Campus: Sir Ompa, Engima Developers & The Law Duo
Vanderbijlpark Campus: MaMkhize, Kaylen and Anna
The panel of judges listens intently during the Business Elevator Pitch competition on the Potchefstroom Campus.
Mahikeng Campus students pitch their business idea to the panel of judges.
Ketlareng Polori is a senior specialist in commercialisation in the NWU’s Technology Transfer and Innovation Support office on the Vanderbijlpark Campus.
The panel of judges during the Business Elevator Pitch competition on the Vanderbijlpark Campus.
