Kick-Off Meeting Launches Phase II of WIPO–CADR Regional Project on IP Financing

The Kick-Off Meeting of Phase II of the Regional Initiative “Promoting the Use of the Intellectual Property System as a Source of Financing for Entrepreneurs and SMEs in Central America and the Dominican Republic” was successfully held on Friday, 3 October 2025.

The meeting formally launched a new stage of collaboration between WIPO and the CADR countries—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and the Dominican Republic—aimed at deepening efforts to integrate intellectual property (IP) into national financing ecosystems.

Opening remarks were delivered by Carmen Aída Fuentes, Ministra Consejera and Permanent Representative of El Salvador to the World Trade Organization, who underscored the importance of strengthening innovation-driven growth through IP-based financing. WIPO also noted the important cooperation of the Permanent Mission of El Salvador, which acted as Pro-Tempore Secretariat of the CADR Ministerial Forum, in coordinating the launch event.

The event gathered national focal points from all CADR countries, representatives from Permanent Missions in Geneva, and technical experts. WIPO’s Department for Development and Cooperation – Division for Latin America and the Caribbean (RNDS) and the IP Commercialization Section of the IP and Innovation Ecosystems Sector presented the objectives and structure of the upcoming work.

Representatives from the Department for Development and Cooperation – Division for Latin America and the Caribbean highlighted the project’s origins in the Ministerial Declaration, reaffirming the region’s commitment to promote IP as a source of financing for entrepreneurs and SMEs, and outlined its strategic objectives and expected outcomes. Allison Mages, Head of the IP Commercialization Section, underscored the potential of IP finance to bridge SME financing gaps, noting that “unlocking IP finance offers innovative SMEs new opportunities to access capital, strengthen their competitiveness, and scale their innovations.” The IP Commercialization Section also presented the project timeline, next steps, and organizational arrangements.

The consulting firm ClarkeModet, represented by Dina Chaves, presented its role in conducting the Regional Landscape Study, which will map financial actors, programs, and legal frameworks relevant to IP finance across the region.

The meeting also featured a space for country focal points to share their perspectives, reaffirming their enthusiasm for the project and their commitment to achieving its goals.

Phase II will be implemented through 2025 and 2026, beginning with the development of the Regional Landscape Report. This work will provide a foundation for strengthening policy environments, raising awareness among stakeholders, and building institutional capacity to enable IP-backed financing for SMEs.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment from all participants to advance collaboration and position the CADR region as a reference in innovative IP financing practices. （Source from China daily)