Transformative Innovations Take Center Stage: Announcing WIPO IP Labs Demo Day

The journey has been thrilling, the ideas revolutionary, and the growth phenomenal. After months of intensive learning, ideation, and creation, we're excited to announce the grand culmination of the WIPO IP Labs program - The Demo Day, themed "Intellectual Property as a Catalyst for Digital Transformation in Nigeria"!

The WIPO IP Labs program, a collaborative effort between WIPO Nigeria Office and The Orbra Company has been a beacon for idea-stage startups, guiding them through the journey of developing innovations into scalable solutions.

Scheduled for 15 December, 2023, at 10:00 AM (WAT), the Demo Day marks the zenith of a transformative journey for our inaugural cohort. Over the past four months, these budding entrepreneurs have delved into the realms of IP management, business strategy, product design, and investment readiness under the guidance of seasoned mentors and experts.

What to Expect

• Startup Pitches: Watch as participants showcase their innovative ideas in a dynamic pitch session. Each participant will have a brief but powerful five minutes to present their entrepreneurial vision, strategies, and impact potential.

• Expert Insights: Gain valuable insights from IPMC (Intellectual Property Management Clinic) experts as they share their perspectives on how startups have benefited from the program. Get a unique glimpse into the impact of intellectual property on business growth.

• Keynote Address: Join us for a keynote address from our speaker. This session promises strategic insights into the future of businesses and the pivotal role that intellectual property plays in driving innovation and prosperity.

How to join

Given the current global context, the WIPO IP Labs Demo Day will be a hybrid event. The event will be broadcasted online, allowing a global audience to witness the presentations, gain inspiration, and connect with the innovators shaping the future.

For those in Abuja who wish to attend physically, the event will take place at the UN House, Abuja, starting at 10:00 AM (WAT). Attendance in person is strictly by invitation. If you would like to attend physically, please send your request to wipo-iplabs@orbra.company

This is an open invitation to everyone passionate about innovation, intellectual property, and the future of entrepreneurship. Join us virtually or in person as we celebrate the achievements of our participants and witness the birth of groundbreaking ideas.

The countdown to the WIPO IP Labs Demo Day begins now!

See you there!

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: FAO-ITC (SheTrades) EWAT Investment-readiness Bootcamp

In an exciting step towards empowering women agripreneurs in Nigeria, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) collaborated with The Orbra Company to organize an intensive 2-day investment readiness bootcamp. Held in Lagos on August 10-11, 2023, the bootcamp aimed to strengthen the skills, mindsets, knowledge and networks of women-led micro and small enterprises in the agribusiness sector.

By equipping participants with practical capabilities to enhance their access to finance, the bootcamp enabled women entrepreneurs to formalize their operations, seize growth opportunities and prepare to scale under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) framework.

The Premier Hub, located in the heart of an innovation cluster in Lagos, provided the ideal venue for the immersive training program. A total of 34 women entrepreneurs running inspiring agribusinesses participated in the bootcamp. Their enterprises spanned various agricultural segments including crop production, food processing, logistics, distribution, retail, restaurants and agro-inputs.

Kicking off with insightful opening remarks from the organizers, the participants were visibly enthusiastic to soak up knowledge from the sessions facilitated by industry experts over two days. An interactive icebreaker activity led by the CEO (The Orbra Company) Mr. Ololade Otayemi emphasized team building, setting the stage for collaborative peer learning.

Day 1 featured an intensive session delivered by Adaeze Sokan on grant and investor readiness for agrifood MSMEs. She outlined crucial tips on developing persuasive business plans including: demonstrating market potential, articulating competitive advantages, showcasing strong financial management systems, defining social impact goals and team capabilities. Her subsequent presentation deconstructed the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework, exploring opportunities for agribusinesses like reduced trade barriers, expanded markets and infrastructure development across Africa.

Other immersive sessions addressed topics like strategic planning, financial modeling, storytelling for pitching, governance, leadership, technology adoption and global exports. Real-world case studies, tailored exercises and hands-on activities made the sessions highly relatable for participants. For instance, an engaging activity had participants craft and present short pitches for their own businesses to get comfortable with storytelling techniques.

A major highlight was the small group collaborations for women entrepreneurs to co-create draft business plans applying the knowledge gained. The groups presented their business plans on Day 2, receiving constructive feedback from facilitators to refine their strategies.

In addition to skills-building, a game-changing opportunity provided was access to leading capital providers and government agencies like NIRSAL, Sterling Bank, Access Bank and Global Affairs Canada. Participants gained first-hand insights directly from funders on products, criteria, processes and requirements to access financing tailored to their needs and growth stages. Being able to ask questions, discuss deals and understand how to successfully approach funders gave participants renewed confidence and clarity to access capital after the bootcamp.

While participants rated the bootcamp highly for its practical approach and knowledgeable facilitators, recommendations to enrich future editions included: extending the training duration to 3-4 days, follow-up implementation support through monthly check-ins, advanced sessions on e-commerce and digital strategies, more direct pitching practice, product exhibition opportunities and partnerships with incubators.

Overall, the investment readiness bootcamp served as a powerful launching pad for women agripreneurs in Nigeria to gain practical knowledge and networks to unlock their potential. Participants left inspired to implement their learning with formalized operations, enhanced business management capacities, financial acumen, persuasive pitching abilities and connections to access capital. This promising initiative reflects the remarkable impact that can be created by equipping women entrepreneurs with the right skills, mindsets and partnerships to succeed as changemakers uplifting their communities and driving wider economic growth.

WIPO IP Labs Selects Top 21 Startups for Phase 2 Acceleration

The WIPO Nigeria Office (WNO), in collaboration with its implementing partner, The Orbra Company, is thrilled to reveal the top 21 startups chosen for Phase 2 of the inaugural WIPO IP Labs program in Nigeria after a rigorous selection process.

Out of 56 promising entrepreneurs in Phase 1, these 21 innovators demonstrated exceptional progress in transforming their ideas into impactful businesses leveraging intellectual property. The startups span diverse industries from AgriTech and HealthTech to Clean Energy, Fintech, Waste Management and more. The common thread is their focus on scalable solutions that align with Sustainable Development Goals.

The selected participants are:

Emmanuel Williams Stephen Adeyemo Thomas James Favour Leo-Adegun Adeyinka Meduoye Jummai Victor Tela Oluwafolakanmi Oyeleke Abdulazeez Salahudeen Chimobi Ogudu Alex Nwachukwu Chioma Nnanna

Abduljalaal Abubakar Richard Omole Noma Sodipo Precious Olufemi Adepoju Augusta Okafor Kamal Aliyu Uthman Alao Ifeanyi Enwu Taiwo Isola Michael Osumune

Phase 2 is set to kick off on Monday, 30th October 2023, starting with the IP Management Clinic, where startups will receive tailored support to scale and commercialize their innovations.

During this phase, participants will refine business models, sharpen pitches to attract investors, and accelerate their ventures from prototype to real-world impact.

On being selected, participants expressed excitement for the immense learning and growth opportunities in Phase 2. They are eager to transform their ideas into enterprises that uplift underserved communities.

WIPO heartily congratulates the Phase 2 participants and looks forward to closely tracking their entrepreneurial journeys. These talented innovators inspire hope for African solutions that achieve prosperity. Their success demonstrates the power of strategic IP management combined with purpose-driven tenacity.

Stay tuned for more updates as these startups pave the way for people, profit and planet through the WIPO IP Labs!

For more information about the program, please visit the WIPO Nigeria website