Nineteen Colombian startups and small businesses developing health technologies have completed the country’s first Intellectual Property (IP) Management Clinic for the HealthTech, MedTech and pharmaceutical sectors. Organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Colombian Association of Pharmaceutical Research and Development Laboratories (AFIDRO), the six-month program ran from October 2025 to March 2026 and helping companies use intellectual property as a business tool to attract investment, protect innovation and prepare for growth.
The program combined WIPO’s proven IP Management Clinic methodology with AFIDRO’s links to Colombia’s health innovation ecosystem. Together, they offered companies a practical, business-oriented experience, including personalized mentoring, expert-led workshops and hands-on tools to integrate IP into their growth strategies.
Over five months, participant companies took part in five workshops covering topics such as IP strategy, patents, protecting confidential business information, financing innovation and software and data protection. Each company also received one-on-one sessions with experienced IP experts and industry specialists and a tailored IP roadmap aligned with its business model and market ambitions.
Central to the initiative was a shared vision between WIPO and AFIDRO: to help innovators move beyond seeing IP as a legal requirement and instead use it as a strategic asset for competitiveness, investment and expansion.
This shift was strongly reflected in participant feedback. Sciphage noted,
“The most vital takeaway from the program is that intellectual property is a strategic business asset rather than a mere legal formality; it is a fundamental driver of our valuation, essential for securing investment and facilitating global market entry.”
The partnership between WIPO and AFIDRO was key to the program’s success. WIPO provided global IP expertise, tools and access to IP mentors, while AFIDRO mobilized companies, contributed industry insight and ensured the program responded to real challenges faced by health innovators in Colombia.
Beyond supporting individual businesses, the initiative fostered collaboration across the ecosystem, connecting startups with experts and strengthening their capacity to protect and commercialize innovation in a highly competitive and regulated sector.
By equipping 19 companies with practical knowledge, personalized guidance and tools to better manage their intangible assets, WIPO and AFIDRO have not only supported immediate business growth but also contributed to building a more resilient and innovation-driven health sector in Colombia, offering a strong model for similar partnerships in other regions.
