The dti to host the Intellectual Property and Technology Commercialisation Colloquium in Gauteng

The Department of Trade and Industry, (the dti) in collaboration with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) will host a two-day Intellectual Property (IP) and Technology Commercialisation Colloquium at Saint George Hotel Conference Centre in Pretoria from 19-20 March 2018.
The colloquium will cover key areas of the IP development and protection, acquisition, exploitation and management. The Deputy Director-General of Special Economic Zones and Economic Transformation at the dti, Mr Sipho Zikode will give an opening address at the colloquium.
According to the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies the purpose of the colloquium is to provide a platform to the IP and technology commercialisation industry to exchange the ideas and experiences in addressing the challenges inhibiting successful commercialisation, and also deepen the awareness and understanding of the IP and technology management and commercialisation process.
“It will further present the technology commercialisation process relevant to early stage and growth companies such as product-market fit, knowledge-for-equity structures, and access to early-stage venture funding, establishing early customer relationships and creating channels to market,” said Davies.
Davies adds that the colloquium seeks to create a common best practice on issues related to technology commercialisation which can be shared across the industry. He says this will entail how industries create value from their IP and what mechanisms should be put in place to enable full commercialisation of the technologies
Industry experts from technology brokers, technology consultants, commercialisation specialists, IP Merchant Banks, IP law firms, inventors, venture capitalists, incubators and fund finders are expected to attend the colloquium.