WIPO Global Awards 2026

About

The WIPO Global Awards 2026 is an international competition aimed at recognizing innovative startups and SMEs that leverage intellectual property, offering benefits such as global exposure, personalized mentorship, and access to funding opportunities, making it an excellent chance for companies with IP-protected innovations to gain recognition and support.

Benefits

• 🌟 Global Recognition
• International recognition and exposure for the winning projects.
• 🏆 Unique Trophy
• A handcrafted trophy made by artisans from Murano, Italy.
• 🎓 Personalized Mentorship
• One-on-one guidance to leverage intellectual property for business growth.
• 📚 Workshop Participation
• Access to a two-day workshop on IP and business knowledge.
• 🤝 Expert Network Support
• Support from WIPO's network of experts.
• 💼 Funding Opportunities
• Access to financing and business collaboration opportunities.

Eligibility Criteria

• 🌍 Geographic Eligibility
• Open to startups and SMEs from all 194 member countries of WIPO.
• 🏢 Legal Status
• Must be a legally registered company.
• 💼 Business Size
• Must have no more than 300 employees and annual revenue not exceeding $15 million.
• 💡 Innovation Requirement
• Must possess an innovative product or service related to intellectual property.
• 📈 Market Activity
• Startups must demonstrate early market activity; SMEs must show commercial traction.

Participation Commitments

• 📍 Attendance Requirement
• Must attend the award ceremony and related events at the UN headquarters in Geneva.
• 🎤 Presentation Requirement
• Must present their innovative project during the evaluation process.
• 📝 Application Submission
• Complete and submit the application by the deadline.
• 💵 Travel Costs
• Travel expenses for the award ceremony will be covered by the organizer.

Target Region

Open to all 194 member countries of WIPO

Target Sector

Focused on innovation across various sectors including health, environment, and technology