Deadline Announced For JIPO Competitions

Persons interested in participating in the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) Essay and Patent competitions have until noon on Friday, September 30, to submit their applications.

These may be dropped off at the JIPO office at 18 Trafalgar Road, Kingston 10. Participants may also submit their applications via email to Copyright@jipo.gov.jm or Patent@jipo.gov.jm. The participants for both competitions should be 15 – 24 years old.

Copyright and Related Rights Manager at JIPO Shantal English, provided an overview of this year’s essay competitions during the awards ceremony for the 2021 competition on Tuesday (April 26).

She explained that participants must write a 1,500 to 2,500-word essay on the topic ‘Do you think Intellectual Property helps or hinders young people?’.

“To demonstrate that participants understand the various Intellectual Property Rights, all essays must be original and produced by the participant. Submissions must include a list of references, including the JIPO website,” she declared.

In keeping with the theme for World Intellectual Property (IP) Day, which was observed on April 26, ‘IP and Youth Innovating for a Better Future’, JIPO also launched a patent competition.

Patent Administrator at JIPO, Jason Wongsam, said the purpose of the competition is to provide a platform to encourage young people across the island to develop an innovative product that can become marketable.

He voiced that “we are excited to see the creations that will come out of this competition. We look forward to working with the creators and to see how we can help them take their creations to the next level”.

For additional information on the competitions, persons may visit the JIPO website https://www.jipo.gov.jm/ or call 876-946-1300/876-946-0789.

The Jamaica Intellectual Property Office provides a central focal point for the administration of intellectual property in Jamaica and has the mandate of administering several intellectual property systems, including patents, copyright and related rights and trademarks.