On 6 April 2018, the Colombian Patent Office (SIC in Spanish) informed that inventors without monetary resource will have the possibility of contacting specialized lawyers who will provide them free assistance on patent process for their inventions. The foregoing, considering that the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the World Economic Forum (WEF) choose Colombia as a pioneer in the implementation of its Inventor Assistance Program (IAP).
The program matches developing country inventors and SMEs with limited financial means with patent attorneys, who provide pro bono legal assistance to secure patent protection.
According to WIPO’s Patent Director (Marco Matías Alemán), Colombia was chosen as a pilot country for IAP’s development in the world, due to its clear policies of support to inventors.
