WIPO Awards Program

WIPO presents awards to outstanding innovators and creators, on the basis of nominations submitted by the national intellectual property offices of WIPO member states.

By celebrating the achievements of inventors, creators and innovative companies around the world, the WIPO Awards aim to help foster a culture in which innovation and creativity are encouraged and appreciated at every level of society. The publicity generated by the WIPO Awards also promotes wider understanding of how the intellectual property system works to serve creativity and innovation.

Useful links

WIPO Award recipients for Best Women Inventor and Innovative Enterprise at the Korea International Women’s Invention Forum 2013. (Photo: Korea Women Inventors Association)

WIPO Medal for Inventors

The WIPO Medal for Inventors was launched to stimulate inventive and innovative activity around the world, and to recognize the contribution of inventors to national wealth and development.

WIPO Medal for Creativity

The WIPO Medal for Creativity recognizes authors, designers, performers, and producers who have made an outstanding contribution to cultural, social or economic development or have fostered respect for creative output protected by IP rights.

WIPO Users’ Trophy

The WIPO Users’ Trophy is awarded to users of WIPO’s IP services, recognizing their early adoption or innovative use.

WIPO IP Enterprise Trophy

The WIPO IP Enterprise Trophy is intended both to encourage the innovative use of the IP system by enterprises and to recognize successful corporate strategies for promoting respect for IP.

WIPO Schoolchildren’s Trophy

The WIPO Schoolchildren’s Trophy encourages interest in the IP system in schools and rewards achievement by schoolchildren in fields related to IP.

Various fraudulent schemes implying association with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) including fake offers of employment at WIPO, training courses and e-mail prize awards have been detected.

These use not only e-mails but also fake web-sites, faxes and telephone numbers. Some of them even include the name of the Director General of WIPO and names of WIPO staff. Many request detailed information and/or money, in connection with supposed registration fees, hotel reservations, employment opportunities, prizes or awards. They sometimes carry the WIPO logo, a photograph of the WIPO Director General and originate from, or refer to, e-mail addresses that resemble those of WIPO or the United Nations.

These are scams. Recipients are warned not to send any money or any personal or professional information, including bank account details, in response to them.

With regard to employment opportunities, it should be noted that WIPO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing, training before appointment or any other fees). Any requests for such payment or information should be refused and reported to local law enforcement authorities for appropriate action and to WIPO for its information. In case of any doubt, WIPO's Human Resources Management Department should be contacted directly at +41 22 338 91 11.

WIPO would appreciate your help in bringing suspect communications to its attention so that others can be warned. Contact us.

Other Scam Warnings

Requests for payment of fees that do not come from the International Bureau of WIPO.