The National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) and the Icelandic Intellectual Property Office (ISIPO) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which sets the foundation for the development of joint activities in the field of cooperation in Industrial Property (IP). The document was signed by Ana Bandeira, Chair of the Board of Directors of INPI, and Borghildur Erlingsdóttir, President of the Icelandic Institute. The signing ceremony was presided over by the then Deputy Minister for Justice, Maria Clara Figueiredo.
This MoU marks the culmination of a bilateral initiative developed between the two IP offices, funded by the Bilateral Relations Fund, which directly contributed to the objectives of the EEA Grants by:
- promoting gender equality in strategic areas such as innovation and intellectual property, thus helping to reduce economic and social disparities;
- increasing collaboration between the two countries, with a focus on women’s empowerment in strategic sectors, thereby strengthening bilateral relations between Portugal and Iceland.
In the last week of March, INPI hosted a delegation from ISIPO for a working visit focused on the sharing of best practices and exchange of experiences on tools, initiatives, and public policies that may help reduce gender disparities in the IP field. During the visit, the delegation had the opportunity to learn about the work carried out by the Support Offices for the Promotion of Industrial Property (GAPI) at the Nova Medical School – Faculty of Medical Sciences and at the Instituto Superior Técnico. These offices are involved in the protection of Industrial Property and the promotion of innovation in the academic environment, with a special focus on initiatives where women's participation and contributions are particularly relevant. The visit to Instituto Superior Técnico included the presence of Filipa Rocha, finalist of the 2023 Young Inventor Awards by the European Patent Office.
The last of the three-day visit to Portugal also included a morning session of knowledge sharing and dialogue attended by Maria Mineiro, Head of the National Focal Point of the EEA Grants Portugal, and Sandra Ribeiro, President of the Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality (CIG).
A delegation from INPI, led by its Chair Ana Bandeira, had previously visited the Icelandic IP office at the beginning of March. During this visit, the delegation had the opportunity to visit several companies and institutions that are part of Iceland’s innovation ecosystem. Össur (innovative mobility solutions), Arnason Faktor (experts in intellectual property protection in Iceland), Carbfix (CO₂-to-stone underground transformation), 66º North (manufacturer of clothing suited to Iceland’s climate and nature), and KLAK Icelandic Startups (Startup Incubator) shared their experiences and best practices in tackling gender inequality in the field of industrial property, offering a broad insight into the local reality.