The prestigious international event, which will be held from July 8 to 17, attracts a record number of high-ranking representatives – over 40 ministers and nearly 100 heads of national patent offices. The Bulgarian delegation will be represented by key diplomatic figures, including Patent Office Chairman Olya Dimitrova, Ambassador Yuri Shterk, Lyutskan Petrov, and Veronika Todorova.
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Director General Daren Tang officially opened the forum with an emblematic message about the significance of human imagination and innovative potential. Special attention was paid to the accession of the Federated States of Micronesia as the 194th member of the organization, which expands the global scope of the institution.
Statistical data presented during the assembly outlined an impressive picture of the modern innovation ecosystem. Over 40 intellectual property applications are filed worldwide every minute, with the annual volume exceeding 20 million registrations since 2018. The growth is 150% compared to 2010, with the number reaching 23 million applications in 2023.
Particularly noteworthy is the focus on digital technologies, which comprise one-third of the patents filed annually. Leading innovative areas include artificial intelligence, quantum computing, cybersecurity, and the Internet of Things, highlighting the transformational processes in the modern technological environment.
Traditionally, the forum will include diverse cultural and technological events aimed not only at exchanging expertise but also deepening international cooperation in the field of intellectual property.