n About the awards
Every year the WIPO Global Awards celebrate small businesses, startups, and university spinouts – from tech to fashion, media, music, design, agriculture, or any other industry – that leverage intellectual property (IP) to create value:
– Transforming research and ideas into successful commercial ventures
– Achieving business growth through IP-driven strategies
– Developing innovations that contribute to the UN SDGs.
Whether you protect your brand with trademarks, hold patents on inventions or copyright your creative works, this is your chance to be recognized on a global stage. The competition – free of charge – is open to companies from around the world and from all industries.
For the 2025 edition, Special Mentions to recognize and reward the best woman and youth entrepreneur of 2025 are introduced. The aim is to celebrate their successes and inspire more women and youth to pursue entrepreneurial paths.
The recipients of these Special Mentions will be selected from among the CEOs/founders of the winning companies by the WIPO Global Awards Selection Committee based on the same indicators established for the contest.
n Benefits for winners
a. Travel to Geneva to attend the Awards Ceremony and special events (funded in accordance with WIPO’s rules);
b. A WIPO Trophy specifically designed for this Program;
c. Customized IP mentorship opportunities (considering, on a case-by-case basis, the business background, and specific needs of the winners).
d. Be offered promotion, visibility and recognition through an Awards ceremony, special WIPO Awards webpage, WIPO media, and other external IP related media.
n Awards Schedule
n Eligibility
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
1. It is a registered business entity. Proof of registration is required.
2. It has no more than 300 employees and up to 15 US$ millions of total annual sales.
3. It is a holder of at least one registered IP right.
4. It is exporting its products or services to at least one country.
Startups
1. The startup is a registered business entity with a legal existence of no more than three years. Proof of registration is required.
2. It has no more than 50 employees.
3. The startup has an innovative product or service associated with IP rights.
4. The startup has submitted at least one application for the registration of one IP right and/or is the holder of at least one registered IP right.
5. The startup is affiliated with a business support organization, such as an incubator, an accelerator, or a similar entity. Proof of affiliation is required.
6. The startup has affirmed its engagement with at least one commercial customer, and/or has completed a business sale, and/or secured one investor.
n Submission Process
1. Only one entry per Participant is permitted. Participants may submit their entry in only one of the two categories eligible for the Awards Program (that is, SMEs or startups).
2. All entries to the Awards Program must be submitted in one of the six UN official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian or Spanish) or in Japanese via the online application form available at: https://global-awards.wipo.int/.
3. In this form, participants will be requested, in particular, to provide information about how they are using IP rights to commercialize their product/services at the regional or international level, and to describe its potential/existing contribution to economic, social or cultural development. In the case of startups, participants will be requested to elaborate on their IP commercialization plans.
4. WIPO reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any submission which does not comply with the present Rules or which, in its opinion, has been entered fraudulently, in an abusive manner, or which may be contrary to the reputation or good name of WIPO.
5. WIPO is committed to ensuring the highest level of protection of personal data. All Participants’ personal information will be used by WIPO under its Privacy Policy available at: https://www.wipo.int/tools/en/privacy_policy.html.
n Evaluation criteria
Applicable to SMEs
a) Understanding and ability to use IP rights (or a combination of such rights) to protect, manage, and commercialize IP assets, as well as other intangible assets such as data, to achieve business and/or corporate objectives.
b) Existing positive contribution to up to three Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For more information about the 17 SDGs, visit this page.
Applicable to startups
a) Business pitch, on areas such as business feasibility, unique value proposition, and scalability and vision for job growth.
b) Demonstrate the potential to use IP rights and/or existing use of IP rights (or a combination of such rights) to protect, manage, and commercialize IP assets, as well as other intangible assets such as data, to achieve business and/or corporate objectives.
c) Existing and/or potential positive contribution to up to three Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For more information about the 17 SDGs, visit this page.
For more information, see Rules.
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