URSB Experts Show Innovators how to Protect Inventions Amidst Covid19 Pandemic

The Uganda Registration Bureau on Friday 16th, July 2021 held a discussion on how to protect the innovators with businesses and the and the economy at Large due to the global spread of Covid1919.

Inventors and creators all over the country various industries are facing barriers, disruptions and hardships when it comes to launching and marketing their new products or services, and how to protect them from being duplicated and forged.

With a global pandemic, innovators in Uganda have responded by developing breakthrough solutions to address local and global needs.

Intellectual property on the other hand has played an integral role in the creation of innovations to solve most of the challenges from Covid19

In a virtual webinar, intellectual property experts took time to reflect on the values of protecting inventions and discussed ways in which businesses can work to protect their brands.

Dr. Anthony Kakooza, a leading IP Academic and Lawyer, led the discussion together with James Tonny Lubwama, Manager for Patents and Industrial Designs at URSB.

In her opening remarks, the Registrar General, Mercy Kainobwisho, emphasized that Uganda’s thriving creative industry must become increasingly aware of the legal remedies to enable them benefit from the commercialization and protection of their works.

Kainobwisho said that the growth of our economy is partly dependent on the MSME sector, and together with government, URSB has been taking all necessary measures to spread awareness on the significance of intellectual property rights in protecting and monetizing our creative inventions.

James Tonny Lubwama for him said protection of innovations would encourage more inventors to works towards solving some of issues from the pandemic crisis. ‘Trade mark registrations are often indicative of future business success, establishing stand-out brands and underlining their distinctiveness in the marketplace. Industries that make intensive use of trademarks are the reason IP applications at URSB have been on the increase for the last two years. We encourage more innovators to come to us for protection.’ Lubwama explained to participants.

However Dr. Anthony Kakooza said the role of IP in enabling innovation during this worldwide crisis cannot be understated. ‘In Uganda, small and medium enterprises have been the driving force behind many innovations. Successful SMEs have been able to reinforce ideas to create products that consumers want, utilized IP rights to protect them and created value for their business. Underlining the inherent innovative abilities of our creative sector must be encouraged and supported to increasingly adapt IP in business operations, especially considering the emerging technological developments. This will give them the edge to commercialise their work while protecting them’ Kakooza said

The webinar was attended by over 200 participants, including senior policy makers, innovators, IP experts from the industry and the legal fraternity who listened in and gave in their feedback.