Intellectual Property Day 2024
Every year, on April 26th, World Intellectual Property Day is observed worldwide, and it is organized by the United Nations agency for intellectual property, WIPO.
This year's Intellectual Property Day highlights green challenge-driven innovations with intellectual assets. The development within green technology, particularly electric machinery and the energy sector, showed an impressive increase of more than 17% last year. Intellectual Property Day is celebrated worldwide in line with WIPO's theme for the day, "IP and sustainable development goals".
World Intellectual Property Day
How is the transition to a more sustainable world progressing?
One way to measure this is by looking at the climate-smart technology being patented. Hear Christian Rasch from PRV Controlling discuss how technology that contributes to sustainability is identified and his conclusions.
About the connection between intellectual assets and a green transition
Ida Christensen, European Patent Attorney EIP
Real Greentech!
The world is facing significant global challenges, and at PRV, we are convinced that innovations and smart management of intellectual assets are key to accelerating positive sustainable development, especially within green technology development.
Minesto – Harnessing Tidal Power as a Prime Mover
Minesto is an innovative Swedish company that extracts energy from tidal currents. The technology is unique as it allows for energy production even in slow ocean currents where other technologies cannot operate effectively. The solution is based on an underwater kite that, propelled by the lift from the ocean current, flies in a figure-eight pattern.
Exeger – Wireless and Crystal Clear
The Swedish solar cell company Exeger has patented a solar cell film that can cover objects to charge them. A solid plan for the intangible assets from the start has been a prerequisite for global expansion.
Heart Aerospace – Building the Future of Flight
The dream of electric aircraft is closer than we might think, at least within regional aviation. The technology already exists, and patents on how it should be integrated are underway. Swedish company Heart Aerospace is on the runway to deliver the first planes by 2028. Considering the company was founded in 2018, it’s fair to say they are soaring ahead.
Modvion – Wind Power Riding High
The wind power of the future will require installations higher than what is currently possible. Leading the development is Modvion, a Swedish company whose patents for modular wooden towers are tailored for the next generation of wind turbines. They recently inaugurated the world’s tallest wind turbine equipped with a wooden tower outside Skara in Västra Götaland.
CashewMeetly – Climate-Smart Vegan Meat from the Cashew Apple
The trademark CashewMeetly is a plant-based, nutritious alternative to meat containing just one ingredient: organic cashew apple. CashewMeetly is a food innovation that helps reduce climate impact by utilising the fruit otherwise discarded after harvesting cashew nuts.
ESG Smart Pool - Patent pool aimed at accelerating sustainable innovation
In a new stride towards sustainability, Maersk and Siemens Energy have jointly established the ESG Smart Pool (November 2023), aiming to expedite the adoption of green technologies. The pool offers swift and cost-effective patent licensing for technologies within ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance).
NoviOcean – Harnessing the Power of Waves Worldwide
NoviOcean is the company that elevates wave power to new powerful levels with a technical solution capable of lifting 600 tonnes, equivalent to the weight of 400 cars at once. In combination with wind and solar, this solution holds great potential. With a shared infrastructure offshore for these three types of energy, NoviOcean’s solution is both unique and cost-effective.
Reselo – Replacing Synthetic Rubber with Bark
Every year, more than 15 million tonnes of fossil-based rubber are produced worldwide, resulting in products such as car tyres, hairbands, hoses, and shoe soles. Rubber production leads to significant carbon dioxide emissions – and many companies are seeking greener alternatives.
Northvolt – For a European Green Energy Transition
Northvolt is a rapidly growing Swedish company within the battery manufacturing sector. The company is developing a more sustainable process that starts with the mining of raw materials and continues through to the production of the batteries, and then onto recycling. When the materials are recycled, the cycle is completed with minimal impact on the environment. The ambition is to be the world’s greenest battery manufacturer.
Stora Enso – Patents Vital in Green Transition
Future plastic-free food packaging is made from biomaterials that can be easily reused. Fibre-based packaging solutions are now growing faster than plastic packaging for the first time, according to Stina Sjögren Paulsson, who is responsible for Stora Enso's intellectual property portfolio, which includes around 4,000 patents. In the transition to a sustainable society, her work and that of her colleagues is central.
Absolicon – From Solar to District Heating
"Do not start environmental technology on a small scale, but prove the technology and then bring in capital for mass production directly," firmly believes Joakim Byström. He is the founder and CEO of Absolicon in Härnösand, which has patented robotic production lines that make the world's most efficient solar collectors.
Scania: gearing up for a sustainable future
The vehicles of the future switch to electricity, and include more software and AI. Companies need to adapt both their knowledge and their intellectual property protection. Scania's IP manager Christer Falk explains what this means for them.