WIPO and TÜRKPATENT Launch First IP Management Clinics

Ankara, Türkiye – The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), in collaboration with the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TÜRKPATENT), has successfully completed the first phase of the “Intellectual Property (IP) Management Clinics Program for SMEs”, a pioneering initiative designed to enhance the intellectual property management capabilities of innovative and export-oriented small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Türkiye.

The opening ceremony, held at TÜRKPATENT headquarters, brought together key stakeholders from Türkiye’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, including Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology Mr. Muhammet Kasım Gönüllü, TURKPATENT President Prof. Dr. M. Zeki Durak, WIPO Director of Transition and Developed Countries Division (TDC) Prof. Dr. Habip Asan, and KOSGEB President Mr. A. Serdar İbrahimcioğlu.

Empowering SMEs through strategic IP management

Deputy Minister Gönüllü underlined the strategic importance of the initiative, noting:

“Within the scope of this project, 20 companies carefully selected from innovative and export-oriented sectors will learn not only how to protect their intellectual property assets but also how to commercialize them to add value to their businesses.”

He emphasized that the main goal of this cooperation is to ensure that innovative and export-focused SMEs benefit effectively from intellectual property (IP) rights and to encourage them to integrate IP strategically into their business models.

TURKPATENT President Prof. Dr. Durak added:

“Numbers matter, but commercialization matters even more.”

Prof. Dr. Asan highlighted the broader impact of the program:

“The IP Management Clinics initiative supports entrepreneurs and SMEs in using intellectual property as a tool for competitiveness, growth, and internationalization. It is an excellent example of how capacity-building partnerships can translate global expertise into local impact.”

Interactive elements & peer testimony

A standout element of the program was an interactive simulation exercise in which SME teams mapped their intangible assets onto a business canvas, evaluated budget trade-offs across different types of IP rights, and made strategic decisions under real-world constraints. The activity aimed to embed the mindset of “IP as business strategy,” rather than viewing IP purely as a legal formality.

Participants also benefited from peer insights. Dr. Özge Zorlu, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Cellsway, a deep-tech startup active in liquid biopsy diagnostics, shared how early IP mapping, clarity of ownership, and a focus on international commercialization helped the company secure investor trust and position its technology for global markets.

One-to-one mentoring & next steps

During the final two days of the first phase, 20 selected firms took part in individual mentoring sessions—part of a set of three—led by expert teams under Sanem Yalçıntaş and Ömer Hızıroğlu, and Elio De Tullio and Volkan Okutan, together with WIPO and TURKPATENT specialists. These sessions guided companies in identifying their key intangible assets, clarifying ownership and confidentiality procedures, building balanced IP portfolios, and aligning their IP strategies with internationalization and commercialization objectives.

The next phase of the program will be delivered online, combining e-learning, virtual mentoring, and the development of IP roadmaps to help participating firms scale up their IP capacities and translate them into tangible commercial outcomes.

Building Turkey’s IP-based innovation ecosystem

This initiative reflects WIPO’s and TÜRKPATENT’s shared vision of moving from awareness to strategy, and from registration to value realization. By empowering Turkish SMEs to manage their IP proactively, the program contributes to strengthening Turkey’s position as a model for IP-driven innovation and exports.

WIPO and TÜRKPATENT will now continue the next phase online — comprising e-learning modules, virtual mentoring, and conceptualization of IP roadmaps — to ensure that participating firms scale up their IP capacities and translate them into real commercial outcomes. (Source from China daily)