Published 10-15-08
Submitted by Light Years IP
WASHINGTON,D.C. - October 15, 2008 "“ Light Years IP, a nonprofit organization specializing in export business strategies with intellectual property (IP) elements for developing countries, is seeing unprecedented interest levels in using IP tool such as trademarks, licensing, copyrights, patents and branding, as a way to increase the export income of some of the world's poorest communities. As a result, Light Years IP is stepping up its public outreach to provide more information on the options available.
"With the success of the Ethiopia Fine Coffee trademarking initiative in 2007, we've seen a huge demand from other developing countries and producers eager to use intellectual property (IP) strategies to dramatically increase producer income," said Light Years IP CEO Ron Layton. "Our work shows that IP strategies are not just for the big guys, and can be a significant contributor to poverty alleviation around the world."
This concept is at odds with a long-standing perception of IP as being about enforcement and control of assets by multinational corporations to the detriment of African’s wellbeing. An introduction to IP concepts and how IP strategies can alleviate poverty using real examples of goods from 14 sub-Saharan African countries with IP potential was released in June 2008 by Light Years IP. It can be downloaded from www.lightyearsip.net/scopingstudy.
In addition, Light Years IP will be presenting these concepts at a variety of upcoming events across the globe over the next few weeks. A few of these include:
To be notified as new announcements are made, or to inquire about an interview with Light Years IP staff, send an email to learnmore@lightyearsip.net.
About Light Years IP
Light Years IP, a Washington DC non- profit organization that is alleviating poverty for millions by increasing export income and improving income security by assisting low-income export producers to improve their negotiating position through using far-reaching IP-based business strategies.
Light Years IP (LYIP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to alleviating poverty by assisting developing country producers gain ownership of their Intellectual Property (IP) and to use the IP to increase their export income and improve the security of that income. LYIP is pioneering a Poverty Alleviating IP Solutions (PAIPS) approach to help developing world producers identify and own their IP. We believe IP offers a business strategy that can help developing countries increase income, improve the security of their income, and alleviate poverty. We assist producers, exporters, and governments in the developing world to analyze their export potential with respect to identifying the value of intangibles and then using IP tools (i.e. patents, trademarks, licenses) to secure more sustained and higher export income. The ownership of IP is secured in market countries through the existing IP legal frameworks of the developed world.
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